Digital health is uniquely positioned to enhance the way we detect and manage infectious diseases. This commentary explores the potential of implementing digital technologies that can be used at different stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, including data-driven disease surveillance, screening, triage, diagnosis, and monitoring. Methods that could potentially reduce the exposure of healthcare providers to the virus are also discussed.

Although patients express an interest in using mobile health (mHealth) interventions to manage their health and chronic conditions, many current mHealth interventions are difficult to use. Usability testing is critical for the success of novel mHealth interventions. Researchers recognize the utility of using qualitative and quantitative approaches for usability testing, but many mHealth researchers lack the awareness of integration approaches from advances in mixed methods research that can add value to mHealth technology.

Mobile and tablet apps, ubiquitous and pervasive computing, wearable computing and domotics for health.

Journal of Medical Internet Research - International Scientific Journal for Medical Research, Information and Communication on the Internet #Preprint #PeerReviewMe: Warning: This is a unreviewed preprint. Readers are warned that the document has not been peer-reviewed by expert/patient reviewers or an academic editor, may contain misleading claims, and is likely to undergo changes before final publication, if accepted, or may have been rejected/withdrawn. Readers with interest and expertise are encouraged to sign up as peer-reviewer, if the paper is within an open peer-review period. Please cite this preprint only for review purposes or for grant applications and CVs (if you are the author). Background: Using a Mobile Health (mHealth) intervention, consisting of a smartphone and compatible medical device, has the potential to enhance Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) treatment outcomes while mitigating health care costs. The purpose of this study is to understand the perceptions of health care providers (HCPs) regarding the use of mHealth in COPD management. Objective: To explore the potential facilitators and barriers among HCPs regarding the use of mHealth interventions for COPD management. Methods: This is a qualitative study. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 30 HCPs, including nurses, pharmacists, and physicians who work directly with COPD patients. A flexible prompts guide was used to facilitate discussions. Topics included: demographics, mHealth usage, perceptions towards challenges of mHealth adoption, factors facilitating mHealth adoption, and preferences regarding features of the mHealth intervention for COPD management. Interviews were conversational in nature and items were not asked verbatim or in the order presented. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and compared against the digital recordings to ensure the accuracy of the content. After creating a codebook for analysis, two researchers independently coded the remaining interview data using pattern coding. They discussed commonalities and differences in coding until consensus was reached. Results: A total of 30 nurses, physicians, and pharmacists participated. The main facilitators to mHealth adoption are possible health benefits for patients, ease of use, educating patients and their HCPs, credibility, and reducing the cost to the healthcare system. Alternatively, the barriers adoption are technical issues, privacy and confidentiality issues, lack of awareness, potential limited uptake from the elderly, potential limited connection between patients and HCPs, and finances. Conclusions: It is important to understand the perceptions of HCPs regarding adoption of innovative mHealth interventions for COPD management. This study identifies some potential facilitators and barriers that may inform the successful development and implementation of mHealth interventions for COPD management.

Background: Using a mobile health (mHealth) intervention consisting of a smartphone and compatible medical device has the potential to enhance chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment outcomes while mitigating health care costs. Objective: This study aims to describe the demographics, use, and access to smartphones of patients with COPD. It also aims to explore and develop an understanding of potential facilitators and barriers that might influence patients using mHealth interventions for COPD management. Methods: This was an explanatory, sequential mixed methods study. Patients who attended respirology clinics completed a questionnaire on technology access and use. We conducted semistructured individual interviews with the patients. Interview topics included the following: demographics, mHealth use, perceptions toward challenges of mHealth adoption, factors facilitating mHealth adoption, and preferences regarding features of mHealth interventions for COPD management. Results: A total of 100 adults completed the survey but 22 participants were excluded because they were not diagnosed with COPD. Of these, 10 patients with COPD participated in the interview. The quantitative component revealed that many patients with COPD owned a mobile phone, but only about one-fourth of the participants (18/77, 23%) owned a smartphone. The likelihood of owning a smartphone was not associated with age, sex, marital status, or geographical location, but patients with high educational status were more likely to own a smartphone. The qualitative component found that patients with COPD, in general, had a positive attitude toward mHealth adoption for COPD management, but several facilitators and barriers were identified. The main facilitators of mHealth adoption are possible health benefits for patients, ease of use, educating patients, and credibility. Alternatively, the barriers to adoption are technical issues, lack of awareness, potential limited uptake from older adults, privacy and confidentiality issues, finances, and lack of interest in mHealth Conclusions: It is important to understand the perceptions of patients with COPD regarding the adoption of innovative mHealth interventions for COPD management. This study identifies some potential facilitators and barriers that may inform the successful development and implementation of mHealth interventions for COPD management.

Journal of Medical Internet Research - International Scientific Journal for Medical Research, Information and Communication on the Internet #Preprint #PeerReviewMe: Warning: This is a unreviewed preprint. Readers are warned that the document has not been peer-reviewed by expert/patient reviewers or an academic editor, may contain misleading claims, and is likely to undergo changes before final publication, if accepted, or may have been rejected/withdrawn. Readers with interest and expertise are encouraged to sign up as peer-reviewer, if the paper is within an open peer-review period. Please cite this preprint only for review purposes or for grant applications and CVs (if you are the author). Background: The prevalence of diabetes is increasing among adults globally (1). The costs of managing and treating diabetes impose a significant economic and social burden (2). Research has demonstrated that a Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), which focuses on developing and maintaining health-promoting lifestyle modifications, can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes among at-risk individuals (3, 4). The implementation of a digitally adapted DPP has the potential to prevent prediabetes at a national and global scale by leveraging technology and behavior change science. Objective: To investigate the effects of a novel digital therapeutic DPP, Transform, on weight loss, Body Mass Index (BMI), exercise frequency, and work absenteeism. Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of retrospective data on prediabetic adults who were enrolled in the Transform DPP. The program incorporates interactive mobile computing, remote monitoring, evidence-based curriculum, behavior tracking tools, health coaching, and online peer support to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. The analysis included data that was collected at baseline and after four months of the Transform DPP. Results: The sample (N=273) included people with prediabetes who completed four months of the Transform program. Participants were 70.3% female with a mean age of 54.01±11.22 years. On average, participants decreased their weight by 13.30 lbs (6.48%) and their BMI by 1.89 kg/m2. . On average, participants increased their exercise frequency by 1.7 days and decreased their work absenteeism by 0.35 day. Conclusions: These results suggest that the novel digital therapeutic DPP, Transform, is effective at reducing BMI and weight, increasing exercise frequency, and reducing work absenteeism. The study findings highlight the effectiveness of the Transform program. A prospective, controlled clinical study to validate these findings is warranted. Clinical Trial: NA