1
|
Petersen C, Austin RR, Backonja U, Campos H, Chung AE, Hekler EB, Hsueh PYS, Kim KK, Pho A, Salmi L, Solomonides A, Valdez RS. Citizen science to further precision medicine: from vision to implementation. JAMIA Open 2020; 3:2-8. [PMID: 32607481 PMCID: PMC7309265 DOI: 10.1093/jamiaopen/ooz060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The active involvement of citizen scientists in setting research agendas, partnering with academic investigators to conduct research, analyzing and disseminating results, and implementing learnings from research can improve both processes and outcomes. Adopting a citizen science approach to the practice of precision medicine in clinical care and research will require healthcare providers, researchers, and institutions to address a number of technical, organizational, and citizen scientist collaboration issues. Some changes can be made with relative ease, while others will necessitate cultural shifts, redistribution of power, recommitment to shared goals, and improved communication. This perspective, based on a workshop held at the 2018 AMIA Annual Symposium, identifies current barriers and needed changes to facilitate broad adoption of a citizen science-based approach in healthcare.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Petersen
- Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Robin R Austin
- School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Uba Backonja
- Nursing & Healthcare Leadership, University of Washington Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington, USA
- Biomedical Informatics & Medical Education, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Hugo Campos
- Kaiser Permanente, Kaiser Permanente Innovation, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Arlene E Chung
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics & the Program on Health & Clinical Informatics, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Eric B Hekler
- Department of Family Medicine & Public Health, Center for Wireless & Population Health Systems, Design Lab, Qualcomm Institute, University of California-San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Pei-Yun S Hsueh
- Center for Computational Health, IBM TJ Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York, USA
| | - Katherine K Kim
- Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, Department of Public Health Sciences-School of Medicine, University of California-Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Anthony Pho
- School of Nursing, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Liz Salmi
- OpenNotes/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anthony Solomonides
- Family Medicine, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Rupa S Valdez
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Jindal G. Assessing the Value of an Online Repository of Local Resources for People Who Have Chronic Health Conditions. JOURNAL OF CONSUMER HEALTH ON THE INTERNET 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/15398285.2019.1611171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gagan Jindal
- College of Information Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sanchez IM, Shankle L, Wan MT, Afifi L, Wu JJ, Doris F, Bridges A, Boas M, Lafoy B, Truman S, Orbai AM, Takeshita J, Gelfand JM, Armstrong AW, Siegel MP, Liao W. Building a Citizen Pscientist: Advancing Patient-Centered Psoriasis Research by Empowering Patients as Contributors and Analysts. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) 2018; 8:405-423. [PMID: 29876724 PMCID: PMC6109031 DOI: 10.1007/s13555-018-0242-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction To design and implement a novel cloud-based digital platform that allows psoriatic patients and researchers to engage in the research process. Methods Citizen Pscientist (CP) was created by the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) to support and educate the global psoriatic disease community, where patients and researchers have the ability to analyze data. Psoriatic patients were invited to enroll in CP and contribute health data to a cloud database by responding to a 59-question online survey. They were then invited to perform their own analyses of the data using built-in visualization tools allowing for the creation of “discovery charts.” These charts were posted on the CP website allowing for further discussion. Results As of May 2017, 3534 patients have enrolled in CP and have collectively contributed over 200,000 data points on their health status. Patients posted 70 discovery charts, generating 209 discussion comments. Conclusion With the growing influence of the internet and technology in society, medical research can be enhanced by crowdsourcing and online patient portals. Patient discovery charts focused on the topics of psoriatic disease demographics, clinical features, environmental triggers, and quality of life. Patients noted that the CP platform adds to their well-being and allows them to express what research questions matter most to them in a direct and quantifiable way. The implementation of CP is a successful and novel method of allowing patients to engage in research. Thus, CP is an important tool to promote patient-centered psoriatic disease research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle M Sanchez
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Lindsey Shankle
- National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA.,Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA
| | - Marilyn T Wan
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.,Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA
| | - Ladan Afifi
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.,Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA
| | - Jashin J Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA.,Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA
| | - Frank Doris
- Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA
| | - Alisha Bridges
- Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA
| | - Marc Boas
- Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA
| | - Brian Lafoy
- Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA
| | - Sarah Truman
- Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA
| | - Ana-Maria Orbai
- Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA.,Division of Rheumatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Junko Takeshita
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.,Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA
| | - Joel M Gelfand
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.,Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA
| | - April W Armstrong
- Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA
| | - Michael P Siegel
- National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA.,Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA
| | - Wilson Liao
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA. .,Citizen Pscientist Governance Council, National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Créquit P, Mansouri G, Benchoufi M, Vivot A, Ravaud P. Mapping of Crowdsourcing in Health: Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res 2018; 20:e187. [PMID: 29764795 PMCID: PMC5974463 DOI: 10.2196/jmir.9330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 02/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Crowdsourcing involves obtaining ideas, needed services, or content by soliciting Web-based contributions from a crowd. The 4 types of crowdsourced tasks (problem solving, data processing, surveillance or monitoring, and surveying) can be applied in the 3 categories of health (promotion, research, and care). Objective This study aimed to map the different applications of crowdsourcing in health to assess the fields of health that are using crowdsourcing and the crowdsourced tasks used. We also describe the logistics of crowdsourcing and the characteristics of crowd workers. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for available reports from inception to March 30, 2016, with no restriction on language or publication status. Results We identified 202 relevant studies that used crowdsourcing, including 9 randomized controlled trials, of which only one had posted results at ClinicalTrials.gov. Crowdsourcing was used in health promotion (91/202, 45.0%), research (73/202, 36.1%), and care (38/202, 18.8%). The 4 most frequent areas of application were public health (67/202, 33.2%), psychiatry (32/202, 15.8%), surgery (22/202, 10.9%), and oncology (14/202, 6.9%). Half of the reports (99/202, 49.0%) referred to data processing, 34.6% (70/202) referred to surveying, 10.4% (21/202) referred to surveillance or monitoring, and 5.9% (12/202) referred to problem-solving. Labor market platforms (eg, Amazon Mechanical Turk) were used in most studies (190/202, 94%). The crowd workers’ characteristics were poorly reported, and crowdsourcing logistics were missing from two-thirds of the reports. When reported, the median size of the crowd was 424 (first and third quartiles: 167-802); crowd workers’ median age was 34 years (32-36). Crowd workers were mainly recruited nationally, particularly in the United States. For many studies (58.9%, 119/202), previous experience in crowdsourcing was required, and passing a qualification test or training was seldom needed (11.9% of studies; 24/202). For half of the studies, monetary incentives were mentioned, with mainly less than US $1 to perform the task. The time needed to perform the task was mostly less than 10 min (58.9% of studies; 119/202). Data quality validation was used in 54/202 studies (26.7%), mainly by attention check questions or by replicating the task with several crowd workers. Conclusions The use of crowdsourcing, which allows access to a large pool of participants as well as saving time in data collection, lowering costs, and speeding up innovations, is increasing in health promotion, research, and care. However, the description of crowdsourcing logistics and crowd workers’ characteristics is frequently missing in study reports and needs to be precisely reported to better interpret the study findings and replicate them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Perrine Créquit
- INSERM UMR1153, Methods Team, Epidemiology and Statistics Sorbonne Paris Cité Research Center, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France.,Centre d'Epidémiologie Clinique, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.,Cochrane France, Paris, France
| | - Ghizlène Mansouri
- INSERM UMR1153, Methods Team, Epidemiology and Statistics Sorbonne Paris Cité Research Center, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - Mehdi Benchoufi
- Centre d'Epidémiologie Clinique, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Vivot
- INSERM UMR1153, Methods Team, Epidemiology and Statistics Sorbonne Paris Cité Research Center, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France.,Centre d'Epidémiologie Clinique, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Ravaud
- INSERM UMR1153, Methods Team, Epidemiology and Statistics Sorbonne Paris Cité Research Center, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France.,Centre d'Epidémiologie Clinique, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.,Cochrane France, Paris, France.,Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Aramaki E, Shikata S, Ayaya S, Kumagaya SI. Crowdsourced Identification of Possible Allergy-Associated Factors: Automated Hypothesis Generation and Validation Using Crowdsourcing Services. JMIR Res Protoc 2017; 6:e83. [PMID: 28512079 PMCID: PMC5449648 DOI: 10.2196/resprot.5851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Revised: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hypothesis generation is an essential task for clinical research, and it can require years of research experience to formulate a meaningful hypothesis. Recent studies have endeavored to apply crowdsourcing to generate novel hypotheses for research. In this study, we apply crowdsourcing to explore previously unknown allergy-associated factors. Objective In this study, we aimed to collect and test hypotheses of unknown allergy-associated factors using a crowdsourcing service. Methods Using a series of questionnaires, we asked crowdsourcing participants to provide hypotheses on associated factors for seven different allergies, and validated the candidate hypotheses with odds ratios calculated for each associated factor. We repeated this abductive validation process to identify a set of reliable hypotheses. Results We obtained two primary findings: (1) crowdsourcing showed that 8 of the 13 known hypothesized allergy risks were statically significant; and (2) among the total of 157 hypotheses generated by the crowdsourcing service, 75 hypotheses were statistically significant allergy-associated factors, comprising the 8 known risks and 53 previously unknown allergy-associated factors. These findings suggest that there are still many topics to be examined in future allergy studies. Conclusions Crowdsourcing generated new hypotheses on allergy-associated factors. In the near future, clinical trials should be conducted to validate the hypotheses generated in this study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eiji Aramaki
- Social Computing Lab, Graduate School of Information Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Japan
| | - Shuko Shikata
- Social Computing Lab, Graduate School of Information Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Japan
| | - Satsuki Ayaya
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichiro Kumagaya
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Scanlan F, Jorm A, Reavley N, Meyer D, Bhar S. Treatment choices for depression: Young people's response to a traditional e-health versus a Health 2.0 website. Digit Health 2017; 3:2055207617690260. [PMID: 29942581 PMCID: PMC6001220 DOI: 10.1177/2055207617690260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This exploratory experimental study compared young people's credibility appraisals and behavioural intentions following exposure to depression treatment information on a Health 2.0 website versus a traditional website. The traditional website listed evidence-based treatment recommendations for depression as judged by field experts. The Health 2.0 website contained information about how helpful each treatment was, as aggregated from feedback from young people with lived experience of depression. METHOD Participants (n = 279) were provided with a vignette asking them to imagine that they had just received a diagnosis of depression and they had gone online to find information to guide their treatment choices. They were randomly allocated to view either the traditional or the Health 2.0 website, and were asked to rate the credibility of the depression treatment information provided. They were also asked to indicate the extent to which they would be likely to act on the advice of the website. RESULTS Participants in the traditional website condition rated their website as significantly more influential than did participants presented with the Health 2.0 website. This difference in treatment influence was fully accounted for the participants' perception of credibility of the information provided by the websites. CONCLUSION The traditional website was rated as significantly more credible and influential than the Health 2.0 website. Treatment decisions appeared to be based on the extent to which online information appears credible. In conclusion, health-related content was perceived by users as more credible when endorsed by experts than by other users, and perceived message credibility appears to be a powerful determinant of behavioural intentions within the e-health setting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Faye Scanlan
- Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia; Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia
| | - Anthony Jorm
- Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia
| | - Nicola Reavley
- Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia
| | - Denny Meyer
- Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sunil Bhar
- Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Turner-McGrievy GM, Wilcox S, Kaczynski AT, Spruijt-Metz D, Hutto BE, Muth ER, Hoover A. Crowdsourcing for self-monitoring: Using the Traffic Light Diet and crowdsourcing to provide dietary feedback. Digit Health 2016; 2:2055207616657212. [PMID: 29942561 PMCID: PMC6001271 DOI: 10.1177/2055207616657212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Smartphone photography and crowdsourcing feedback could reduce participant burden for dietary self-monitoring. Objectives To assess if untrained individuals can accurately crowdsource diet quality ratings of food photos using the Traffic Light Diet (TLD) approach. Methods Participants were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk and read a one-page description on the TLD. The study examined the participant accuracy score (total number of correctly categorized foods as red, yellow, or green per person), the food accuracy score (accuracy by which each food was categorized), and if the accuracy of ratings increased when more users were included in the crowdsourcing. For each of a range of possible crowd sizes (n = 15, n = 30, etc.), 10,000 bootstrap samples were drawn and a 95% confidence interval (CI) for accuracy constructed using the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles. Results Participants (n = 75; body mass index 28.0 ± 7.5; age 36 ± 11; 59% attempting weight loss) rated 10 foods as red, yellow, or green. Raters demonstrated high red/yellow/green accuracy (>75%) examining all foods. Mean accuracy score per participant was 77.6 ± 14.0%. Individual photos were rated accurately the majority of the time (range = 50%–100%). There was little variation in the 95% CI for each of the five different crowd sizes, indicating that large numbers of individuals may not be needed to accurately crowdsource foods. Conclusions Nutrition-novice users can be trained easily to rate foods using the TLD. Since feedback from crowdsourcing relies on the agreement of the majority, this method holds promise as a low-burden approach to providing diet-quality feedback.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle M Turner-McGrievy
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USA
| | - Sara Wilcox
- Prevention Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USA.,Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USA
| | - Andrew T Kaczynski
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USA.,Prevention Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USA
| | - Donna Spruijt-Metz
- Center for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Brent E Hutto
- Prevention Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USA
| | - Eric R Muth
- Department of Psychology, Clemson University, USA
| | - Adam Hoover
- Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Clemson University, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Malhi HK, Tu J, Riley TV, Kumarasinghe SP, Hammer KA. Tea tree oil gel for mild to moderate acne; a 12 week uncontrolled, open-label phase II pilot study. Australas J Dermatol 2016; 58:205-210. [PMID: 27000386 DOI: 10.1111/ajd.12465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The efficacy, tolerability and acceptability of a tea tree oil gel (200 mg/g) and face wash (7 mg/g) were evaluated for the treatment of mild to moderate facial acne. METHODS In this open-label, uncontrolled phase II pilot study, participants applied tea tree oil products to the face twice daily for 12 weeks and were assessed after 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Efficacy was determined from total numbers of facial acne lesions and the investigator global assessment (IGA) score. Tolerability was evaluated by the frequency of adverse events and the mean tolerability score determined at each visit. Product acceptability was assessed via a questionnaire at the end of the study period. RESULTS Altogether 18 participants were enrolled, of whom 14 completed the study. Mean total lesion counts were 23.7 at baseline, 17.2 at 4, 15.1 at 8 and 10.7 at 12 weeks. Total lesion counts differed significantly over time by repeated measures anova (P < 0.0001). The mean IGA score was 2.4 at baseline, 2.2 at 4, 2.0 at 8 and 1.9 at 12 weeks, which also differed significantly over time (P = 0.0094). No serious adverse events occurred and minor local tolerability events were limited to peeling, dryness and scaling, all of which resolved without intervention. CONCLUSION This study shows that the use of the tea tree oil products significantly improved mild to moderate acne and that the products were well tolerated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Harsimran Kaur Malhi
- Department of General Medicine, St John of God Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jenny Tu
- Department of Dermatology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Thomas V Riley
- PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (M504), University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Sujith Prasad Kumarasinghe
- Department of Dermatology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,Hollywood Medical Centre, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Katherine A Hammer
- School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (M504), University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Budge EJ, Tsoti SM, Howgate DJ, Sivakumar S, Jalali M. Collective intelligence for translational medicine: Crowdsourcing insights and innovation from an interdisciplinary biomedical research community. Ann Med 2015; 47:570-5. [PMID: 26469375 DOI: 10.3109/07853890.2015.1091945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Translational medicine bridges the gap between discoveries in biomedical science and their safe and effective clinical application. Despite the gross opportunity afforded by modern research for unparalleled advances in this field, the process of translation remains protracted. Efforts to expedite science translation have included the facilitation of interdisciplinary collaboration within both academic and clinical environments in order to generate integrated working platforms fuelling the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and tools to align biomedical research with clinical need. However, barriers to scientific translation remain, and further progress is urgently required. Collective intelligence and crowdsourcing applications offer the potential for global online networks, allowing connection and collaboration between a wide variety of fields. This would drive the alignment of biomedical science with biotechnology, clinical need, and patient experience, in order to deliver evidence-based innovation which can revolutionize medical care worldwide. Here we discuss the critical steps towards implementing collective intelligence in translational medicine using the experience of those in other fields of science and public health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Shivan Sivakumar
- d Department of Oncology , University of Oxford , Oxford , UK
- e Oxford Cancer and Haematology Centre , Churchill Hospital , Oxford , UK
| | - Morteza Jalali
- f Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute , University of Cambridge , Cambridge , UK
- g Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery , Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre , Oxford , UK
- h Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Medical Sciences Division , University of Oxford , Oxford , UK
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Cardones A, Hall R. Reshaping the treatment of autoimmune blistering diseases: from consensus guidelines to prospective data from ‘the crowd’. Br J Dermatol 2015; 172:845-6. [DOI: 10.1111/bjd.13734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A.R.G. Cardones
- Department of Dermatology; Duke University School of Medicine; Durham NC 27710 U.S.A
| | - R.P. Hall
- Department of Dermatology; Duke University School of Medicine; Durham NC 27710 U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Hammer KA. Treatment of acne with tea tree oil (melaleuca) products: a review of efficacy, tolerability and potential modes of action. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2014; 45:106-10. [PMID: 25465857 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2014.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Over-the-counter acne treatments containing tea tree oil from the plant Melaleuca alternifolia are widely available, and evidence indicates that they are a common choice amongst those self-treating their acne. The aims of this review were to collate and evaluate the clinical evidence on the use of tea tree oil products for treating acne, to review safety and tolerability and to discuss the underlying modes of therapeutic action.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K A Hammer
- School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (M504), Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
|
13
|
Agnew T, Leach M, Segal L. The clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of essential oils and aromatherapy for the treatment of acne vulgaris: a protocol for a randomized controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med 2013; 20:399-405. [PMID: 23829810 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2013.0137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acne is a prevalent, chronic, and sometimes severe skin disorder affecting an estimated 85% of adolescents and 50% of adults older than age 20 years. The psychosocial implications of acne can be considerable, often continuing long after physical symptoms resolve. Although effective acne medications are available, most exhibit adverse-effect profiles that can leave the patient with few effective treatment options. Emerging evidence indicates that plant-derived essential oils may be a biologically plausible treatment for acne, although high-quality evidence of effectiveness and safety is lacking. OBJECTIVE To examine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of essential oils and aromatherapy for the treatment of acne. DESIGN This randomized, wait-list controlled trial will have three parallel groups; 192 participants with acne vulgaris, aged 16-45 years, will be recruited primarily through eight Technical and Further Education campuses across Adelaide, South Australia. Participants will be randomly assigned to standard essential oil blend, customized aromatherapy treatment, or wait-list control. Changes in the physical and psychosocial symptoms of acne will be assessed at baseline and 6 and 12 weeks by using the Leeds Acne Grading System, Assessment of Quality of Life-8 Dimension instrument, and Acne-Specific Quality of Life instrument. Costs of treatment will be measured on the basis of resource inputs and unit costs and will be limited to acne treatment. The clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness will be compared between each intervention and against usual care, using standard health economic techniques. CONCLUSIONS The provision of high-quality evidence of the effectiveness of essential oils and aromatherapy in the treatment of acne may help consumers make better-informed choices about acne management. Insights gained from this research will also contribute to the academic field of complementary medicine, specifically aromatherapy, for which the evidence base is extremely limited.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Agnew
- 1 Health Economics and Social Policy Group, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of South Australia , Australia
| | | | | |
Collapse
|