Review
Oncology
Don Thiwanka Wijeratne, Meghan Bowman, Isobel Sharpe, Siddhartha Srivastava, Matthew Jalink, Bishal Gyawali
Summary: As the number of cancer patients increases globally, it is important to develop methods to support these patients. Text-based communication in cancer care is generally well-received by patients, but results on other outcomes are inconsistent, indicating a need for further research.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qiong Wu, Yiwen Huang, Michelle Helena van Velthoven, Wei Wang, Suying Chang, Yanfeng Zhang
Summary: Research on infant and young child feeding practices in rural China revealed a lack of accurate feeding knowledge among caregivers and suboptimal feeding practices. WeChat is considered a potential way to deliver feeding information to pregnant women and mothers in rural areas.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Kathleen E. Davis, Adyson Klingenberg, Marilyn Massey-Stokes, Nusrath Habiba, Rupali Gautam, Cynthia Warren, Paul Yeatts
Summary: This study aimed to prevent childhood obesity through text messages promoting healthy infant feeding practices. Findings showed that most parents had positive attitudes towards breastfeeding but faced barriers. Text messaging did not have a significant effect on infant growth and feeding practices.
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Hon Lon Tam, Eliza Mi Ling Wong, Kin Cheung, Siu Fung Chung
Summary: This review found that a text messaging intervention is effective in controlling blood pressure, with weekly text messages being suggested as more effective and requiring fewer resources. Future studies should explore different forms of text messages and integrate them into other interventions to improve adherence behaviors and blood pressure control among patients with hypertension.
JMIR MHEALTH AND UHEALTH
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Jeanine Ahishakiye, Lenneke Vaandrager, Inge D. Brouwer, Maria Koelen
Summary: This study investigates how mothers' life course learning experiences shape appropriate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices, finding that positive interactions with family members, cooking skills, and negative experiences during childhood all play important roles. Additionally, mothers' sense of responsibility, community interactions, and learning opportunities are key factors influencing IYCF practices.
MATERNAL AND CHILD NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Laura Elizabeth Pathak, Adrian Aguilera, Joseph Jay Williams, Courtney Rees Lyles, Rosa Hernandez-Ramos, Jose Miramontes, Anupama Gunshekar Cemballi, Caroline Astrid Figueroa
Summary: This study aimed to develop motivational text messages in English and Spanish to encourage physical activity in low-income minority patients with diabetes diagnoses and depression symptoms. By combining participant feedback, crowdsourced data, and researcher expertise, 200 messages were designed and iteratively refined, resulting in 54 messages included in the final text message bank.
JMIR MHEALTH AND UHEALTH
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Wendi Gosliner, Celeste Felix, Ron Strochlic, Shana Wright, Allison Yates-Berg, Hannah R. Thompson, Hao Tang, Blanca Melendrez
Summary: This study examined the feasibility, satisfaction, and outcomes of sending monthly food and nutrition education SMS text messages to SNAP participants in San Diego County to promote fruit and vegetable consumption. The intervention was well received and resulted in increased knowledge, self-efficacy, and positive perceptions of SNAP participation among participants.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kerry Scott, Osama Ummer, Aashaka Shinde, Manjula Sharma, Shalini Yadav, Anushree Jairath, Nikita Purty, Neha Shah, Diwakar Mohan, Sara Chamberlain, Amnesty Elizabeth LeFevre
Summary: The study found that exposure to Kilkari increased modern contraceptive uptake but did not change infant and young child feeding practices. Interviews revealed that pregnant women with their own phones were more likely to be Kilkari listeners, while those without phones often had their husbands listening instead. Respondents tended to retain and appreciate Kilkari messages that aligned with their existing worldviews, social norms, and practices, but overlooked or de-emphasized content that did not.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
John A. Batsis, Curtis L. Petersen, Matthew M. Clark, Summer B. Cook, Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, Rima Al-Nimr, Dawna Pidgeon, David Kotz, Todd A. Mackenzie, Stephen J. Bartels
Summary: A 12-week multicomponent obesity intervention program for older adults with obesity showed significant improvement in physical function, late-life function, and mental and physical health scores. Participants wore their Fitbit consistently and reported high satisfaction with the trial and the device.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Qiong Wu, Xiaotong Wang, Jian Zhang, Yanfeng Zhang, Michelle Helena van Velthoven
Summary: A study conducted in rural China found that a WeChat-based self-assessment with tailored feedback was effective in improving infant complementary feeding practices and movement behavior. The study implemented a two-month intervention program through WeChat, and the results showed that the feeding group had significantly higher rates of minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF), and minimum acceptable diet (MAD) compared to the movement behavior group. Additionally, the movement behavior group had significantly higher proportions of children who met physical activity time (PAT) and outdoor time (OT) recommendations compared to the feeding group. This study highlights the effectiveness of using WeChat for delivering feeding and movement behavior recommendations in rural China.
LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-WESTERN PACIFIC
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jeanine Ahishakiye, Lenneke Vaandrager, Inge D. Brouwer, Maria Koelen
Summary: In challenging circumstances, mothers in low-income countries manage to implement recommended breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices through the interplay of active coping strategies, feeling of control, and social support.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Myat Pan Hmone, Mu Li, Kingsley Emwinyore Agho, Neeloy Ashraful Alam, Nina Chad, Michael J. Dibley
Summary: Regular, targeted text messages delivered to urban pregnant women and mothers via mobile phones significantly improve breastfeeding practices and reduce infant morbidity during the first 6 mo of life.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Emily S. Ross, Brodie M. Sakakibara, Martha H. Mackay, David G. T. Whitehurst, Joel Singer, Mustafa Toma, Kitty K. Corbett, Harriette G. C. Van Spall, Kimberly Rutherford, Bobby Gheorghiu, Jillianne Code, Scott A. Lear
Summary: The study examined the effects of SMS text messaging intervention on patients with acute coronary syndrome. Results showed no significant differences between the two groups in adjusted analyses, except for one domain of self-efficacy. The study protocol was feasible, but recruitment took longer than expected. The majority of participants were satisfied with the program.
JMIR MHEALTH AND UHEALTH
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Michael Bass, Kristen D. Rosen, Mary A. Gerend, Lauren S. Wakschlag, Krystal Madkins, Shariell T. Crosby, Nabil Alshurafa, Zachary Doyle King, Roozbeh Ghaffari, J. D. Smith
Summary: Short message service (SMS) plays a vital role in health informatics, but the lack of standardization in SMS delivery platforms presents challenges for implementing SMS-based interventions. The proposal of CAMPI aims to simplify implementation of SMS interventions, optimize health data capture, and enhance patient-provider communication.
FAMILIES SYSTEMS & HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Donald R. R. Gerke, Jeff Glotfelty, Stacey Slovacek, Maria Freshman, Julia Schlueter, Katie Plax
Summary: This study evaluated an automated and live two-way text messaging intervention for youth and young adults at high risk for poor HIV outcomes. The intervention aimed to increase viral load suppression rates and improve medical visit attendance. Results showed that engagement with the intervention was high and there was a significant association between participant responses to text messages and achieving viral suppression. Future research should compare outcomes between usual care and text-messaging interventions to determine their effectiveness.
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Geronimo Jimenez, David Matchar, Choon Huat Gerald Koh, Rianne van der Kleij, Niels H. Chavannes, Josip Car
Summary: The study identified that some multicomponent interventions aimed at enhancing primary care include technology-based innovations, with the most commonly used technologies being electronic health records, data monitoring technologies, and online portals. These technologies aim to improve continuity and comprehensiveness of care, leading to increased patient satisfaction, more primary care visits, better health prevention education, and improved prescribing practices.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Dermatology
Xiaoli Zhu, Maja Magdalena Olsson, Ram Bajpai, Krister Jarbrink, Wern Ee Tang, Josip Car
Summary: This study investigated the impact of chronic wounds on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and found that arterial ulcers had the most significant negative impact on HRQoL. Factors such as age, ethnicity, wound type, exudate level, and wound duration were associated with HRQoL related to mobility. The findings can be utilized to enhance healthcare delivery for chronic wound patients and improve their HRQoL.
INTERNATIONAL WOUND JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Yuri Rykov, Thuan-Quoc Thach, Iva Bojic, George Christopoulos, Josip Car
Summary: This study found that digital biomarkers from wearable devices could detect depression risk in working populations, with higher accuracy in subsamples of depressed and healthy individuals. Despite reliable associations, the overall ability of digital biomarkers to detect depression in the entire working population was limited.
JMIR MHEALTH AND UHEALTH
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Kayode Philip Fadahunsi, Petra A. Wark, Nikolaos Mastellos, Joseph Gallagher, Azeem Majeed, Josip Car
Summary: This study aims to appraise the CLIQ framework by exploring clinicians' perspectives on the relevance, definition, and assessment of IQ dimensions as defined in the framework. The study will adapt the CLIQ framework to the needs of clinical information users and use the electronic Delphi approach to engage clinicians and gather their perspectives.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shilpa Surendran, Chuan De Foo, Chen Hee Tam, Elaine Qiao Ying Ho, David Bruce Matchar, Josip Car, Gerald Choon Huat Koh
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Anna Essen, Ariel D. Stern, Christoffer Bjerre Haase, Josip Car, Felix Greaves, Dragana Paparova, Steven Vandeput, Rik Wehrens, David W. Bates
Summary: There is a global effort to develop policy frameworks for regulating the use of health apps. While countries are taking different paths, there is international convergence in terms of requirements for transparency, health content, interoperability, and privacy and security. However, the large number of apps in the market poses challenges for clinicians and patients, and more regulatory work is needed to address issues such as reimbursement, safety, and privacy.
NPJ DIGITAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Madison Milne-Ives, Lorna K. Fraser, Asiya Khan, David Walker, Michelle Helena van Velthoven, Jon May, Ingrid Wolfe, Tracey Harding, Edward Meinert
Summary: This study aims to develop an intelligent agent using digital twins to identify key risk factors that predict multimorbidity throughout the life course, in order to deliver early interventions and improve health outcomes. The study will use machine learning to develop digital twins and validate the model, create digital twin personas, and assess the feasibility of the system.
JMIR RESEARCH PROTOCOLS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hanif Abdul Rahman, Areekul Amornsriwatanakul, Khadizah H. Abdul-Mumin, Denny Agustiningsih, Surasak Chaiyasong, Michael Chia, Supat Chupradit, Le Quang Huy, Katiya Ivanovitch, Ira Nurmala, Hazreen B. Abdul Majid, Ahmad Iqmer Nashriq Mohd Nazan, Yuvadee Rodjarkpai, Ma Henrietta Teresa O. de la Cruz, Trias Mahmudiono, Krissachai Sriboonma, Supaporn Sudnongbua, Dhanasari Vidiawati, Apichai Wattanapisit, Sukanya Charoenwattana, Nani Cahyani, Josip Car, Moon-Ho Ringo Ho, Michael Rosenberg
Summary: This study examined the prevalence of epidemiological health-risk behaviors and mental well-being among Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that a large proportion of university students consumed sugar-sweetened beverages and snacks/fast food daily, while less than half of them consumed the recommended daily amounts of fruit/vegetables. The prevalence of physical inactivity and low mental well-being was also significant. Country and body mass index were found to have a significant correlation with these health-risk behaviors and mental well-being.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Kar Fye Alvin Lee, Eun Hee Lee, Adam Charles Roberts, Josip Car, Chee Kiong Soh, Georgios Christopoulos
Summary: The combined effects of behavioral inhibition and behavioral activation, as well as locus of control, were examined on different categories of smoking behavior. The fun-seeking aspect of behavioral activation was found to be a unique predictor of daily smoking, while external locus of control also played a significant role. External locus of control mediated the relationship between fun-seeking and smoking behavior. Overall, these findings suggest a more complex relationship between fun-seeking, external locus of control, and daily smoking behavior than previously shown.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Michelle Helena Van Velthoven, Jason Oke, Attila Kardos
Summary: This study evaluated the clinical validity of a wearable wrist device for measuring vital signs and providing National Early Warning Scores. The device showed acceptable agreement with standard measurements for systolic blood pressure and heart rate, but improvement is needed for respiration rate, temperature, and oxygen saturation. User acceptance of the device was high.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Dermatology
Zhiwen Joseph Lo, Elaine Tan, Sadhana Chandrasekar, Desmond Ooi, Huiling Liew, Gary Ang, Enming Yong, Qiantai Hong, Tiffany Chew, Mohd Fadil Muhammad Farhan, Xiaoli Zhu, Pauline Ang, Chelsea Law, Nadiah Raman, Derek Park, Subramaniam Tavintharan, Wai Han Hoi, Jaime Lin, Hui Yan Koo, Julia Choo, Kai Qiang Low, Rose Low, Kavita Venkataraman, Josip Car, Daniel E. K. Chew
Summary: The DEFINITE Care program in Singapore aims to provide coordinated care for diabetic foot ulcer patients across primary and tertiary care. The program has shown significant reductions in minor and major amputations rates, as well as improvements in cardiovascular profile among the study population.
INTERNATIONAL WOUND JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Surgery
Dexter Yak Seng Chan, Naren Kumar Surendra, Yi Zhen Ng, Sze-Han Lee, Enming Yong, Qiantai Hong, Cheng Cheng Goh, Tina Peiting Lai, Audrey Hui Min Tan, Chelsea Chiew Chie Law, Shanying Liang, Josip Car, Zhiwen Joseph Lo
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the clinical and economic burden of venous leg ulcers (VLUs) in an Asian population. The findings suggest that VLUs have a significant impact on patients and incur high treatment costs, but successful healing can improve patients' quality of life. These results provide important insights for economic evaluations of VLU treatments.
JOURNAL OF VASCULAR SURGERY-VENOUS AND LYMPHATIC DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Anita Pienkowska, Chin-Siang Ang, Maleyka Mammadova, Muhammad Daniel Azlan Mahadzir, Josip Car
Summary: This study applied an end-user participatory approach to co-design a diabetes education app prototype for individuals living with type 2 diabetes. The findings demonstrated the feasibility of engaging and empowering people with type 2 diabetes to consider digital therapeutics for diabetes self-management skills and practice. Participants gave positive feedback on the app design and content, with recommendations for improvements. Incorporating end-user feedback into app design can lead to the creation of feasible and acceptable tools for diabetes education.
JMIR FORMATIVE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Xiaofei Wang, Hayley M. Sanders, Yuchen Liu, Kennarey Seang, Bach Xuan Tran, Atanas G. Atanasov, Yue Qiu, Shenglan Tang, Josip Car, Ya Xing Wang, Tien Yin Wong, Yih-Chung Tham, Kevin C. Chung
Summary: This article discusses the potential use of ChatGPT as a tool to aid public health efforts in low- and middle-income countries. It highlights the benefits of ChatGPT in various domains such as health literacy, screening, remote healthcare support, and provides a balanced discussion on the opportunities and challenges.
LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-WESTERN PACIFIC
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Zhiwen J. Lo, Keerthi B. Harish, Elaine Tan, Julia Zhu, Shaun Chan, Huiling Liew, Wai H. Hoi, Shanying Liang, Yuan T. Cho, Hui Y. Koo, Kyle Wu, Josip Car
Summary: The study aimed to assess the efficacy of a patient-owned wound surveillance system for diabetic foot ulcers. The findings indicate that most patients were able to effectively monitor wound healing using a smartphone app-based solution. The image analysis algorithm demonstrated strong performance in identifying wound healing and detecting deterioration.