Diagnostic accuracy of pocket-size lung ultrasound for etiological definition of pneumonia and surveillance of complications in children hospitalized: a prospective diagnostic cohort study

Background: Pneumonia, the leading infectious cause of death in children worldwide, often requires a chest radiograph (CXR) for diagnosis, involving radiation exposure. Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) offers a radiation-free alternative and, specifically the pocket-size variant, enhances convenience at the patient's bedside. While evidence supports ultrasound's accuracy in detecting community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children comparable to CXR, few studies have explored its ability to distinguish pneumonia etiology, especially utilizing pocket-size POCUS devices. Methods: In this prospective diagnostic cohort study conducted over a year in a tertiary pediatric referral center, we aim to assess the diagnostic accuracy of a pocket-size POCUS device compared to CXR for determining the etiology of CAP in pediatric patients (aged >6 months and <18 years). At least 76 participants diagnosed with CAP will undergo independent POCUS examinations at various intervals, complemented by CXRs when necessary, independently classified by a third investigator. The General Electrics Vscan AirTM®, featuring Bluetooth connectivity to smartphone/tablet, will be employed for POCUS. Data collection will include systematized POCUS and CXR descriptions, alongside sociodemographic, clinical, and therapeutic variables. Statistical analysis using SPSS® version 28 will evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the POCUS device. Conclusions: This trial's outcomes hold significant promise in unveiling unknown data about the diagnostic accuracy of pocket-size POCUS for pediatric CAP etiological diagnosis. Utilizing a device meeting technical recommendations, featuring a dual-headed probe and Bluetooth connectivity, this study has the potential to bring innovation to clinical practice, improving patient care and creating scientific value. Trial Registration Number: NCT06296693.

The impact of digital health technologies on pharmacy services and patient care

This comprehensive review delves into the profound impact of digital health technologies on the landscape of pharmacy services and patient care. The integration of electronic prescribing medication adherence apps, and tele-pharmacy services has revolutionized medication management in pharmacies. This amalgamation has not only streamlined processes but has also significantly minimized errors, leading to enhanced operational efficiency. Pharmacists, equipped with wearable devices, now engage in remote patient monitoring, allowing for personalized interventions and proactive healthcare strategies. The incorporation of genomic data, data analytics, and clinical decision support systems marks a transformative shift towards precision medicine within pharmacies. These technologies empower pharmacists to design tailored treatment plans based on individual genetic profiles, thereby optimizing therapeutic outcomes. As pharmacies increasingly embrace these digital tools, they metamorphose into dynamic healthcare hubs. Beyond traditional roles, pharmacies now offer virtual consultations and actively participate in patient education initiatives. This paradigm shift underscores a commitment to patient-centered care, exemplified by improved medication safety and a more interconnected healthcare ecosystem. The ongoing integration of digital health technologies holds promise for continued advancements in pharmacy services. This trajectory signifies a significant departure towards a more proactive, personalized, and technologically driven approach to patient care. The review underscores the transformative potential of digital health technologies in redefining the role of pharmacies and elevating the standards of patient-centered healthcare delivery.

Adolescencia y bienestar digital: herramientas para los profesionales de la salud / Adolescence and Digital Well-being: Tools for Healthcare Professionals

La adolescencia constituye una etapa atravesada por cambios físicos, emocionales y sociales significativos, que incluyen la adquisición de múltiples habilidades. Aumentan los riesgos de sufrir alteraciones mentales, consumo de sustancias, embarazo no deseado, trastornos alimentarios, y se evidencian los efectos negativos del uso inapropiado de las redes sociales. El bienestar digital implica el uso saludable de la tecnología, la protección de la privacidad y la seguridad en línea. Los adolescentes utilizan las redes con la finalidad de identificarse, relacionarse, entretenerse y buscar información. La exposición no regulada conlleva riesgos: acceso a contenido inapropiado, ciberacoso, consumo problemático y fraudes. Desde el ámbito pediátrico, se debe acompañar a los adolescentes para que optimicen el uso de la tecnología y, para ello, es fundamental implementar estrategias multisectoriales para minimizar los riesgos y promover el bienestar de los adolescentes en línea, así como garantizar la alfabetización digital y el acceso equitativo a recursos tecnológicos de calidad y telesalud.

Adolescence is a period characterized by significant physical, emotional, and social changes, including the acquisition of multiple skills. It is also a time when the risks of mental disorders, substance use, unwanted pregnancy, eating disorders, and negative effects of inappropriate social media use manifest greatly. Digital well-being implies the healthy use of technology, the protection of privacy and security online. Adolescents use social media to identify themselves, interact with others, entertain themselves, and seek information. However, risks are present, including access to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, problematic consumption, and fraud. The pediatric field must support adolescents in optimizing their online use. Implementing multisectoral strategies can minimize risks, promote digital literacy, and ensure equitable access to quality technological resources and telehealth, thereby promoting adolescent online well-being.

Progress in apllication of machine learning evaluation and prediction models in cardiovascular disease / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Artificial intelligence has been a huge success and contributes to the workplace. In the digital era, the amount of data in clinical practice is increasing, which requires healthcare workers to integrate and interpret the various information generated during clinical work. With the help of artificial intelligence techniques, especially machine learning techniques, researchers in cardiovascular medicine have developed a variety of predictive models to improve the efficiency of clinical work and treatment outcomes. The types of machine learning models were introduced, and the current prediction models of cardiovascular diseases using machine learning technology were summarized. The purpose of this paper is to facilitate accurate diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases and to provide a clearer direction for future development of cardiovascular disease prediction models using machine learning techniques.

Research on the Digital Transformation Path of Primary Health Care Institutions Based on Organizational Change Theory:Take Tianjin's Digital Health Service Consortium as an Example / 中国医院管理

Objective To explore the digital transformation path of primary medical and health institutions in China,and provide reference for the research and follow-up policy formulation in the field.Methods The experience and practice of Tianjin digital health service consortium were collected by semi-structured interview,and the external and internal data were continuously collected as supplements.Finally,the data were coded and analyzed by programmatic grounded method.Results After coding,39 first-level categories and 13 second-level categories were obtained.Finally,guided by the theoretical analysis framework of organizational change,five core categories were obtained,namely,driving factors,structural change,technological change,person change and task change,so as to establish the digital transformation of primary health care institutions.Conclusion The four dimensions of structure,technology,person and task change influence and complement each other.The digital transformation of regional medical institutions should ensure the coordinated development of multiple dimensions at the organizational level.Finally,suggestions are put forward in three aspects:attaching importance to top-level design driving,applying digital technology to empower business scenarios,and actively promoting practical experience in relevant regions.

Challenges， countermeasures and key points of ethical review for decentralized clinical trials / 中国医学伦理学

Decentralized clinical trials （DCT） are bringing new changes to clinical trials， the core concept of “patient-centered” must be adhered， and the safety and rights of research participants must be adequately safeguarded. Although DCTs have similarities with traditional clinical trials， they are not suitable for all clinical trials， and are more suitable for oral administration， stable condition of study participants， and longer duration of treatment in clinical trials. DCT， elements must be selected based on the characteristics of clinical trials， and strike a balance between improving the sense of gain， safety， and rights and dignity of research participants， as well as the quality of data collected. Currently， DCT in China face many challenges. To actively promote DCTs in China， regulatory regulations and guiding principles should be improved. Based on patient-centered design principles， the first discussion requires real-time online communication. Researchers should provide more clinical trial services， improve risk control and accessibility of medical assistance， use third-party convenient payments， ensure fair recruitment of research participants， consider compliance， validate digital health technology， remote monitoring and electronic informed consent compliance， ensure the security of data collection， transmission， and analysis， as well as strengthen multi-party training. Ethical review is one of the important means to protect the safety and rights of research participants. Ethics committees should focus on appropriate DCTs elements that are patient-centered， compliance and effectiveness of electronic informed consent， processing and reporting of security information， privacy protection of data collection， compliance of remote monitoring， family health follow-up， management of biological samples and experimental medical products， and training programs. The author believed that the complementarity and combination with traditional clinical trials will make DCTs elements implemented more easily and smoothly. By leveraging the power of scientific and technological advances， DCTs will boost the speed of China’s drug and medical device research and development， enhance international competitiveness， and benefit more patients.

Ethical exploration of clinical research empowered by remote collection of digital health technology / 中国医学伦理学

In recent years， with the gradual maturity of achievable remote collection of digital health technology， more and more clinical research have applied this technology to improve the quality of data collection and reduce the burden on subjects. However， its technological characteristics of detachment from the diagnostic and treatment environment and real-time transmission of sensitive information also pose corresponding risks to the protection of subjects’ rights and interests and data standardization management， among which personal information protection and data control permissions are more prominent issues. Based on risk analysis and regulatory review， this paper explored the responsibilities of multiple parties， including the sponsors， researchers， clinical trial institutions， and ethics committee， as well as proposed five elements of special concern for ethical review， with a view to providing a reference for promoting the standardized development of digital health technology in clinical research.

Bibliometric analysis of research on digital health literacy / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveFocusing on digital health literacy， this study elucidated the current research status， focal points， and developmental trends in this field over the past decade through bibliometric analysis and knowledge mapping of relevant papers. MethodsUtilizing software such as CiteSpace and VOSviewer， this study analyzed literature on digital health literacy from 2012 to 2022 retrieved from the Web of Science （WoS） database， employing bibliometric approaches such as keyword co-occurrence， timeline clustering， keyword burst detection， and author collaboration networks. ResultsThe research generally exhibited a continuing upward trend in publication volume； application fields were concentrated in disciplines such as mathematics and medicine； keywords include healthcare， intervention measures， health management， and technological applications. Research in digital health literacy （DHL） has evolved from an early focus on mobile health and behavior change to mid-term focus on health information and internet technology， and more recently to a greater focus on mental health and information technology applications， as well as the application of digital health and mobile technology in health behaviors， reflecting the field’s continuous development towards diversification. ConclusionResearch on digital health literacy is steadily growing and has received widespread recognition and attention from the academic community. With the development of mobile technologies and data science， the field of DHL is expected to make more in-depth research and application breakthroughs in education， scientific research， healthcare， public health， and social welfare.

Teleassistência no Sistema Único de Saúde brasileiro: onde estamos e para onde vamos? / Telecare in the Brazilian Unified Health System: where we are and where we are heading

Resumo O artigo explora a teleassistência a partir dos desenvolvimentos da telessaúde e da aceleração da transformação digital na saúde provocada pela pandemia de COVID-19, com foco no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Aborda questões terminológicas, escopo de ações, potencialidades do uso para atenção à saúde e condicionantes e contingências para a utilização da teleassistência no Brasil, concentrando-se nas teleconsultas e nas interações entre profissionais de saúde e pacientes. Por fim, apresenta um conjunto de proposições para o desenvolvimento das políticas e práticas de teleassistência no Brasil, tendo em vista os princípios do SUS, organizados em dois eixos estratégicos centrais: diretrizes político organizacionais e proposições operacionais e de organização dos serviços e do cuidado. Destaca-se a importância de ponderar e elucidar os alcances e os limites das novas tecnologias para evitar idealizações e deslumbramentos com suas propostas de solução para os complexos problemas de saúde. As soluções de teleassistência devem ser compatíveis com princípios e diretrizes do SUS e com o modelo de atenção preconizado, que prevê a organização da rede a partir da atenção primária, para garantir acesso, integralidade e qualidade da atenção à saúde para a sociedade brasileira.

Abstract This article explores telecare from telehealth developments and the recent acceleration of the digital health transformation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). It addresses terminological issues, the scope of actions, the potential use for healthcare, and constraints and contingencies for telecare in Brazil, focusing on teleconsultations and interactions between health professionals and patients. Finally, it presents a set of propositions for the development of telecare policies and practices in Brazil, considering SUS principles, in two central themes: organizational political guidelines and operational propositions to organise services and healthcare delivery. The importance of clarifying the scope and limits of new technologies is highlighted in the attempt to avoid idealizations with proposed solutions to complex health problems. Telecare solutions should be compatible with SUS principles and with the recommended model of care, with the healthcare network coordinated and organised by primary care, ensuring access to health services and integrated and quality healthcare for the Brazilian society.

Digital health in stroke: a narrative review / Saúde digital em acidente vascular cerebral: uma revisão narrativa

Abstract Digital health is significantly transforming stroke care, particularly in remote and economically diverse regions, by harnessing mobile and wireless technologies, big data, and artificial intelligence (AI). Despite the promising advancements, a notable gap exists in the formal clinical validation of many digital health applications, raising concerns about their efficacy and safety in real-world clinical settings. Our review systematically explores the landscape of digital health in stroke care, assessing the development, validation, and implementation of various digital tools. We adopted a comprehensive search strategy, scrutinizing peer-reviewed articles published between January 2015 and January 2024, to gather evidence on the effectiveness of digital health interventions. A rigorous quality assessment was conducted to ensure the reliability of the included studies, with findings synthesized to underscore key technological innovations and their clinical outcomes. Ethical considerations were meticulously observed to maintain data confidentiality and integrity. Our findings highlight the transformative potential of mobile health technologies, AI, and telemedicine in improving diagnostic accuracy, treatment efficacy, and patient outcomes in stroke care. Our paper delves into the evolution and impact of digital health in cerebrovascular prevention, diagnosis, rehabilitation and stroke treatment, emphasizing the digital health's role in enhancing access to expert care, mitigating treatment delays and improving outcomes. However, the review also underscores the critical need for rigorous clinical validation and ethical considerations in the development and deployment of digital health technologies to ensure their safe and effective integration into stroke care practices.

Resumo A saúde digital está transformando significativamente o cuidado com o acidente vascular cerebral (AVC), especialmente em regiões remotas e economicamente diversas, ao aproveitar tecnologias móveis e sem fio, big data e inteligência artificial (IA). Apesar dos avanços promissores, existe uma lacuna notável na validação clínica formal de muitas aplicações de saúde digital, levantando preocupações sobre sua eficácia e segurança em ambientes clínicos do mundo real. Nossa revisão explora sistematicamente a paisagem da saúde digital no cuidado do AVC, avaliando o desenvolvimento, validação e implementação de várias ferramentas digitais. Adotamos uma estratégia de busca abrangente, examinando artigos revisados por pares publicados entre janeiro de 2015 e janeiro de 2024, para reunir evidências sobre a eficácia das intervenções de saúde digital. Uma avaliação de qualidade rigorosa foi conduzida para garantir a confiabilidade dos estudos incluídos, com os achados sintetizados para destacar as principais inovações tecnológicas e seus resultados clínicos. Considerações éticas foram meticulosamente observadas para manter a confidencialidade e integridade dos dados. Nossas descobertas destacam o potencial transformador das tecnologias de saúde móvel, IA e telemedicina em melhorar a precisão diagnóstica, a eficácia do tratamento e os resultados dos pacientes no cuidado do AVC. Nosso artigo aprofunda-se na evolução e impacto da saúde digital na prevenção, diagnóstico, reabilitação e tratamento do AVC, enfatizando seu papel em melhorar o acesso ao cuidado especializado, mitigar atrasos no tratamento e melhorar os desfechos. No entanto, a revisão também sublinha a necessidade crítica de validação clínica rigorosa e considerações éticas no desenvolvimento e implantação de tecnologias de saúde digital para garantir sua integração segura e eficaz nas práticas de cuidado do AVC.

Metapresencialidade, Saúde Digital e Saúde Coletiva / Metapresencialidad, Salud Digital y Salud Colectiva / Meta-presentiality, Digital Health, and Collective Health

Neste ensaio, apresento reflexões preliminares sobre tecnologias digitais como novas formas de promoção da saúde no mundo contemporâneo. Primeiro, introduzo os conceitos de tecnologia, realidade, presença, realidade virtual e realidade estendida, por meio do realismo crítico. Segundo, discuto o conceito emergente de metapresencialidade como fundamental para apropriação sociotécnica de tecnologias digitais nos campos da Educação e da Saúde. Terceiro, analiso criticamente a noção de Educação a Distância, em contraste com a ideia de espaços metapresenciais de aprendizagem, no contexto de um modelo inovador de Educação Superior. Em quarto lugar, discuto brevemente a Saúde Digital como conjunto de saberes, técnicas e práticas capaz de superar o dualismo "tecnologias duras" vs "tecnologias leves" na saúde. Finalmente, avalio questões epistemológicas próprias do campo da Saúde Coletiva, com vistas a redefinir a telessaúde como cuidado em saúde mediado por metapresencialidade.(AU)

In this essay, I present preliminary reflections on digital technologies as new forms of health promotion in the contemporary world. First, I introduce the concepts of technology, reality, presence, virtual reality, and extended reality, through critical realism. Second, I discuss the emerging concept of meta-presentity as fundamental for the socio-technical appropriation of digital technologies in the fields of Education and Health. Third, I critically analyze the notion of Distance Education, in contrast to the idea of meta-presential learning spaces, in the context of an innovative model of Higher Education. Fourthly, I briefly discuss Digital Health as a set of knowledge, techniques, and practices capable of overcoming the dualism of "hard " vs. "soft" technologies in health. Finally, I evaluate epistemological issues specific to the field of Collective Health, to redefine telehealth as health care mediated by meta-presentiality.(AU)

En este ensayo presento reflexiones preliminares sobre tecnologías digitales como nuevas formas de promoción de la salud en el mundo contemporáneo. Primero, introduzco los conceptos de tecnología, realidad, presencia, realidad virtual y realidad extendida, a partir del realismo crítico. Segundo, discuto el concepto emergente de metapresencialidad como fundamental para la apropiación sociotécnica de tecnologías digitales en los campos de la educación y de la salud. Tercero, analizo críticamente la noción de Educación a Distancia en contraste con la idea de espacios metapresenciales de aprendizaje, en el contexto de un modelo innovador de educación superior. En cuarto lugar, discuto brevemente la Salud Digital como conjunto de saberes, técnicas y prácticas capaz de superar el dualismo "tecnologías duras" vs "tecnologías blandas" en la salud. Finalmente, evalúo cuestiones epistemológicas propias del campo de la Salud Colectiva, con el objetivo de redefinir la telesalud como cuidado de salud mediado por metapresencialidad.(AU)

Integração de tecnologias educativas digitais em website sobre cuidados domiciliares com recém-nascidos: relato de experiência / Integración de tecnologías educativas digitales em un sitio web sobre atención domiciliaria al recién nacido: relato de experiencia / Integration of digital educational technologies in a website on home care for newborns: experience report

Resumo Objetivo: descrever a experiência no desenvolvimento e integração de tecnologias educativas digitais em saúde em um website voltado para os cuidados domiciliares com recém-nascidos. Método: relato de experiência sistematizado em cinco tempos (ponto de partida, perguntas iniciais, recuperação do processo vivido, reflexão de fundo e pontos de chegada), no período de 2020 a 2024. Concentrou-se no desenvolvimento de tecnologias educativas digitais em um projeto de pesquisa e desenvolvimento tecnológico e social vinculado à extensão universitária. Resultados: o desenvolvimento das tecnologias digitais envolveu a construção, validação e avaliação de dois vídeos animados, dois aplicativos móveis, uma cartilha, vinte e dois podcasts e um website que integrou as 28 tecnologias produzidas. Conclusão: a experiência foi inovadora, promissora e relevante. A abordagem multifacetada e integradora reflete uma diversidade de estratégias para atender às necessidades educativas das famílias, demonstrando ser efetiva na disseminação de informações.

Resumen Objetivo: describir la experiencia en el desarrollo e integración de tecnologías digitales educativas en salud en un sitio web enfocado a la atención domiciliaria del recién nacido. Método: relato de experiencia sistematizado en cinco etapas (punto de partida, preguntas iniciales, recuperación del proceso vivido, reflexión de antecedentes y puntos de llegada), en el periodo 2020 a 2024. Enfocado al desarrollo de tecnologías educativas digitales en un proyecto de desarrollo tecnológico e investigación y desarrollo social vinculado a la extensión universitaria. Resultados: el desarrollo de tecnologías digitales implicó la construcción, validación y evaluación de dos videos animados, dos aplicaciones móviles, un folleto, veintidós podcasts y un sitio web que integró las 28 tecnologías producidas. Conclusión: la experiencia fue innovadora, prometedora y relevante. El enfoque multifacético e integrador refleja una diversidad de estrategias para satisfacer las necesidades educativas de las familias, demostrando ser eficaz en la difusión de información.

Abstract Objective: to describe the experience in the development and integration of digital educational technologies in health on a website focused on home care for newborns. Method: experience report systematized in five stages (starting point, initial questions, recovery of the lived process, background reflection and arrival points), from 2020 to 2024. It focused on the development of digital educational technologies in a technological and social research and development project linked to university outreach activities. Results: the development of digital technologies involved the construction, validation and evaluation of two animated videos, two mobile applications, a booklet, twenty-two podcasts and a website that integrated the 28 technologies produced. Conclusion: the experience was innovative, promising and relevant. The multifaceted and integrative approach reflects a diversity of strategies to meet the educational needs of families, demonstrating to be effective in disseminating information.

Evolution of the availability of Information and Communication Technologies in primary health care in Brazil, 2012 to 2018 / Evolução da disponibilidade de Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação na Atenção Primária à Saúde do Brasil, 2012 a 2018

ABSTRACT Objective: To verify the evolution of the availability of information and communication technology equipment and inputs in primary health care services that participated in the external evaluation of the Access and Quality Improvement Program in Primary Care and its distribution according to context characteristics social and geographic. Methods: Cross-sectional study, analyzed the distribution of information and communication technology equipment in basic health units in Brazil, during the three cycles (2012 to 2018) of the Program for Improving Access and Quality in Primary Care. The variables were examined at the municipal level and stratified by geopolitical region. Univariate analysis was performed, using the chi-square test and testing the distributions of exposures among themselves and between the outcome and exposures. Results: The availability of information and communication technology equipment increased from 9.4% (2012) to 17.5% (2018), with emphasis on the Southeast and South regions, in municipalities with a population size of up to 10,000 inhabitants², with greater family health coverage and high/very high HDI-M. Over the period from 2012 to 2018, basic units joined the program and increased availability of information and communication technologies, such as Internet access, which ranged from 45.2% (n=6,249) to 74.0% (n=21,423), with emphasis on the Northeast region, which increased from 19.1% (n=970) to 58.8% (n=7,087). Conclusion: Investment in technologies and constant evaluation of primary care in the country is necessary, contributing to its strengthening.

RESUMO Objetivo: Verificar a evolução da disponibilidade de equipamentos e insumos de tecnologia de informação e comunicação nos serviços de Atenção Primária à Saúde que participaram da avaliação externa do Programa de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade na Atenção Básica e sua distribuição de acordo com características do contexto social e geográfico. Métodos: Estudo transversal, que analisou a distribuição de equipamentos de tecnologia de informação e comunicação nas unidades básicas de saúde do Brasil, durante os três ciclos (2012 a 2018) do Programa de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade na Atenção Básica. As variáveis foram examinadas no nível dos municípios e estratificadas por região geopolítica. Realizou-se análise univariada, com o uso do teste χ2 e teste das distribuições das exposições entre si e entre o desfecho e as exposições. Resultados: A disponibilidade do conjunto de equipamentos de tecnologias de informação e comunicação evoluiu de 9,4% (2012) para 17,5% (2018), com destaque às Regiões Sudeste e Sul, em municípios com porte populacional de até 10 mil hab.², com maior cobertura de saúde da família e índice de desenvolvimento humano municipal — IDH-M alto/muito alto. Ao longo do período de 2012 a 2018, houve adesão de unidades básicas ao programa e aumento na disponibilidade de tecnologias de informação e comunicação, como o acesso à internet, que foi de 45,2% (n=6.249) a 74,0% (n=21.423), com destaque para a Região Nordeste com aumento de 19,1% (n=970) a 58,8% (n=7.087). Conclusão: São necessários o investimento em tecnologias e a constante avaliação da atenção primária no país, contribuindo para seu fortalecimento.

Brecha digital en cuidadores de pacientes pediátricos de 0 a 12 años. Diseño y validación de un cuestionario / The digital divide among caregivers of pediatric patients aged 0 to 12 years. Design and validation of a questionnaire

Introducción. Las estrategias sanitarias basadas en tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) podrían perpetuar la inequidad en salud, especialmente en poblaciones vulnerables. Existen escasas herramientas validadas para evaluar el acceso a las TIC en pediatría en nuestro medio. Objetivos. Construir y validar un cuestionario para evaluar el acceso a las TIC para cuidadores de pacientes pediátricos. Describir las características de acceso a las TIC y evaluar si existe correlación entre los tres niveles de la brecha digital. Población y métodos. Construimos y validamos un cuestionario que luego administramos a cuidadores de niños entre 0 y 12 años. Las variables de resultado fueron las preguntas del cuestionario para los tres niveles de brecha digital. Además, evaluamos variables sociodemográficas. Resultados. Administramos el cuestionario a 344 cuidadores. El 93 % poseía celular propio y el 98,3 % utilizaba internet por red de datos. El 99,1 % se comunicaba a través de mensajes de WhatsApp. El 28 % había realizado una teleconsulta. La correlación entre las preguntas fue nula o baja. Conclusión. Por medio del cuestionario validado, evaluamos que los cuidadores de pacientes pediátricos de 0 a 12 años poseen en su mayoría celular, se conectan por red de datos, se comunican principalmente a través de WhatsApp y obtienen pocos beneficios a través de TIC. La correlación entre los diferentes componentes del acceso a las TIC fue baja.

Introduction. Health care strategies based on information and communication technologies (ICTs) may perpetuate health inequity, especially among vulnerable populations. In our setting, there are few validated tools to assess access to ICTs in pediatrics. Objectives. To develop and validate a questionnaire to assess ICT access among caregivers of pediatric patients. To describe the characteristics of ICT access and assess whether there is a correlation among the three levels of the digital divide. Population and methods. We developed and validated a questionnaire and then administered it to the caregivers of children aged 0­12 years. The outcome variables were the questions in the three levels of the digital divide. We also assessed sociodemographic variables. Results. We administered the questionnaire to 344 caregivers. Among them, 93% had their own cell phone and 98.3% had Internet access via a data network; 99.1% communicated via WhatsApp messages; 28% had had a teleconsultation. The correlation among the questions was null or low. Conclusion. The validated questionnaire allowed us to establish that the caregivers of pediatric patients aged 0­12 years mostly own a mobile phone, access the Internet via a data network, communicate mainly through WhatsApp, and obtain few benefits through ICTs. The correlation among the different components of ICT access was low.

Comunicação e saúde: reflexões sobre o Sistema Único de Saúde em Palmas ­ TO e a saúde digital durante a pandemia de covid-19 / Communication and health: reflections on the Unified Health System in Palmas ­ TO and digital health during the covid-19 pandemic / Comunicación y salud: reflexiones sobre el Sistema Único de Salud en Palmas ­ TO y la salud digital durante la pandemia de covid-19

O objetivo deste artigo é refletir sobre o papel da saúde digital no acesso à saúde pública no contexto do Sistema Único de Saúde durante a pandemia de covid-19 em Palmas ­ TO. Para tanto, adotou-se como referencial teórico os pressupostos do campo Comunicação & Saúde e, como forma de análise, o método denominado Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo, que busca compreender os modos de pensar de um grupo social sobre dado tema. Neste caso, trata-se de moradores do condomínio Residencial Parque da Praia, situado em Palmas. Também se procurou entender em que medida essas pessoas estão inseridas no mundo tecnológico ou são excluídas dele, e qual a percepção delas sobre saúde digital, Sistema Único de Saúde, direito à saúde e à comunicação. O grupo se considera relativamente informado sobre esses temas e a maioria faz uso, no cotidiano, das Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação e da internet. Entretanto, observou-se que a saúde digital é uma realidade ainda distante para essa comunidade

The purpose of this article is to reflect on the role of digital health in the access to public health in the context of the Unified Health System during the covid-19 pandemic in Palmas ­ TO. In order to do this, the assumptions of the Communication & Health field were adopted as a theoretical framework and the method called Collective Subject Discourse was used as a form of analysis. This method seeks to understand the ways of thinking of a social group on a given topic. In the case examined here, the group is constituted by residents of the Residencial Parque da Praia condominium, situated in Palmas. We also sought to understand to what extent these people are included in or excluded from the technological world and their perception of digital health, the Unified Health System, the right to health and communication. The group considers itself relatively informed about these topics and the majority of those residents use Information and Communication Technologies as well as the internet in their daily live. However, it was observed that digital health is still a distant reality for this community

El objetivo de este artículo es reflexionar sobre el papel de la salud digital en el acceso a la salud pública en el contexto del Sistema Único de Salud durante la pandemia de covid-19 en Palmas ­ TO. Para hacer eso, se adoptó como marco teórico los presupuestos del campo de Comunicación y Salud y, como forma de análisis, el método denominado Discurso del Sujeto Colectivo, que busca comprender las formas de pensar de un grupo social acerca de un tema determinado. En el caso abordado en este artículo, el grupo es constituido por residentes del condominio Residencial Parque da Praia, situado en Palmas. También buscamos comprender en qué medida estas personas están incluidas en el mundo tecnológico o son excluidas de él, y su percepción sobre la salud digital, el SUS, el derecho a la salud y a la comunicación. El grupo se considera relativamente informado sobre esos temas y su mayoría utiliza las Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones y la internet en su vida diaria. Sin embargo, se observó que la salud digital es aún una realidad lejana para esta comunidad

The long-term user experience of an m-Health application / A experiência do usuário a longo prazo de um aplicativo m-Health / La experiencia a largo plazo del usuario de una aplicación m-Health

Low user engagement in m-Health applications has been driving the use of retention techniques that aim to ensure a satisfactory long-term user experience. The aim was to understand the experience of hypertensive patients interacting with a mobile health application for 12 months. A qualitative/exploratory study was conducted after 12 months, with the same experimental group of participants as the non-randomized con-trolled clinical trial conducted in 2019. The mean age of the 16 participants was 57 years (SD=8), of which11 were female. All had low socioeconomic and educational levels. Content analysis showed no engagement with the m-health app over time. The main factors contributing to the lack of engagement were; inability of the user to use the app, lack of support and technical problems. When designing m-Health interventions, it is important to understand users' behavioral characteristics, motivations for treatment, level of involve-ment in health care, and ability to use technology

O baixo envolvimento dos usuários em aplicativos m-Health vem impulsionando o uso de técnicas de retenção que visam garantir uma experiência do usuário (UX) satisfatória a longo prazo. Objetivou-se compreender a experiência de pacientes hipertensos interagindo com um aplicativo de saúde móvel (m-Health) durante 12 meses. Realizou-se estudo qualitativo/exploratório após 12 meses, com o mesmo grupo experimental de participantes do ensaio-clínico controlado e não-randomizado realizado em 2019. A idade média dos 16 participantes foi de 57 anos (DP=8); 11 eram do sexo feminino, com baixos níveis socioeconômicos e educacionais. A análise de conteúdo não mostrou nenhum envolvimento ao longo do tempo usando o aplicativo m-Health. Os principais fatores que contribuíram para a falta de envolvimento foram: incapacidade do usuário de usar o aplicativo, falta de suporte e problemas técnicos. Ao propor intervenções que utilizem m-Health, é essencial conhecer características comportamentais dos usuários, motivações para o tratamento, nível de envolvimento nos cuidados com a saúde e sua capacidade de usar tecnologias

La baja participación de los usuarios en las aplicaciones de m-Health ha impulsado el uso de técnicas de retención que tienen como objetivo garantizar una experiencia de usuario satisfactoria a largo plazo. Se pretendió comprender la experiencia de pacientes hipertensos interactuando con una aplicación de salud móvil durante 12 meses. Se realizó un estudio cualitativo/exploratorio después de 12 meses, utilizando los participantes del ensayo clínico controlado no aleatorizado que se llevó a cabo en 2019. La edad media de los 16 participantes fue 57 años (SD=8); 11 mujeres, con niveles socioeconómicos y educativos bajos. El análisis de contenido no mostró compromiso a lo largo del tiempo utilizando la aplicación m-Health. Los principales factores contribuyentes fueron: incapacidad del usuario para utilizar la aplicación, falta de apoyo y problemas técnicos. Cuando se proponen intervenciones con m-Health, es esencial conocer las características de comportamiento de los usuarios, sus motivaciones para el tratamiento, nivel de implicación en el cuidado de la salud y capacidad para utilizar tecnologías

Usabilidade da Plataforma Zelo Saúde por cuidadores de pessoas idosas dependentes / Usability of the Zelo Saúde Platform by caregivers of dependent elderly people / Usabilidad de la Plataforma Zelo Saúde por cuidadores de personas mayores dependientes

A Plataforma Zelo Saúde (PZS) é uma tecnologia mSaúde de apoio ao cuidado de pessoas idosas. Este artigo apresenta um estudo de usabilidade que analisou a utilização da PZS por 68 cuidadores/familiares de pessoas idosas dependentes por 10 semanas. Foram preenchidos um formulário pré- e outro pós-uso do aplicativo, e foi feita uma série de perguntas visando ao monitoramento semanal. Para análise dos dados, utilizou-se o software SPSS® v.25. Os resultados indicaram que a plataforma foi simples de usar e de fácil compreensão. A PZS alcançou uma nota média, na avaliação de usabilidade, de 8,9 ± 1,6 na escala de 0 a 10 da System Usability Scale, e possibilitou não só o acesso dos cuidadores/familiares às informações clínico-funcionais, à rotina de cuidados, aos medicamentos em uso, como também a comunicação entre eles e os profissionais de saúde por meio de chat. A plataforma conta também com vídeos educativos, no contexto da atenção básica à saúde e dos serviços de atenção domiciliar, mostrando-se uma ferramenta de apoio ao cuidado de pessoas idosas em seus domicílios

The Zelo Saúde Platform (PZS) is an mHealth technology to support the care of the elderly. This article presents a usability study that analyzed the use of the PZS by 68 caregivers/relatives of dependent elderly people for 10 weeks. Pre- and post-use forms were illed by participants and a set of questions aiming weekly monitoring was answered. For data analysis, SPSS® v.25 software was used. The results indicated that the platform was simple to use and easy to understand. The PZS achieved an average usability score of 8.9 ± 1.6 on a scale of 0 to 10 of the System Usability Scale, and enabled caregivers/family members to access to functional status information, routine care, medications in use, and permitted the communication between them and health professionals through chat. The platform also includes educational videos, in the context of primary health care and home care services, proving to be a tool to support the home care of elderly people

La Plataforma Zelo Saúde (PZS) es una tecnología mHealth (salud móvil) para apoyar el cuidado de las personas mayores. Este artículo presenta un estudio de usabilidad que analizó el uso de la PZS por parte de 68 cuidadores/familiares de personas mayores dependientes durante 10 semanas. Fueron llenados un formulario previo y otro posterior a la utilización de la aplicación, y se formularon diversas preguntas con vistas al seguimiento semanal. Para el análisis de los datos se utilizó el software SPSS® v.25. Los resultados indicaron que la plataforma era sencilla de usar y fácil de entender. La PZS alcanzó una calificación media de usabilidad de 8,9 ± 1,6 en una escala de 0 a 10 de la System Usability Scale, y permitió a los cuidadores/familiares acceder a la información clínico funcional, a los cuidados de rutina, a los medicamentos en uso y permitó también la comunicación entre ellos y los profesionales de la salud a través de chat. La plataforma cuenta aun con videos educativos, en el contexto de la atención primaria de salud y de los servicios de atención domiciliaria, demostrando ser una herramienta de apoyo al cuidado en el domicilio de personas mayores

Methods for Improving Brain-Computer Interface: Using A Brain-Directed Adjuvant and A Second-Generation Artificial Intelligence System to Enhance Information Streaming and Effectiveness of Stimuli

Background: The brain-computer interface (BCI) is gaining much attention to treat neurological disorders and improve brain-dependent functions. Significant achievements over the last decade have focused on engineering and computation technology to enhance the recording of signals and the generation of output stimuli. Nevertheless, many challenges remain for the translation of BCIs to clinical applications. Methods: We review the relevant data on the four significant gaps in enhancing BCI's clinical implementation and effectiveness. Results: The paper describes three methods to bridge the current gaps in the clinical application of BCI. The first is using a brain-directed adjuvant with a high safety profile, which can improve the accuracy of brain signaling, summing of information, and production of stimuli. The second is implementing a second-generation artificial intelligence system that is outcome-oriented for improving data streaming, recording individualized brain-variability patterns into the algorithm, and improving closed-loop learning at the level of the brain and with the target organ. The system overcomes the compensatory mechanisms that underlie the loss of stimuli' effectiveness for ensuring sustainable effects. Finally, we use inherent brain parameters relevant to consciousness and brain function to bridge some of the described gaps. Conclusions: Combined with the currently developed techniques for enhancing effectiveness and ensuring a sustainable response, these methods can potentially improve the clinical outcome of BCI techniques.

Safeguarding Our Adolescents from Inappropriate Use of Smart Gadgets: Hacks and Heuristics

Adolescents (children aged 11-19 years) are at the greatest peril when it comes to use of smart gadgets. These gadgets are essential for literacy and development, but also have the potential to cause addiction and other unwanted effects. Finding the right balance is the key. Thus, there is a considerable need to devise, enlist and convey to parents, various hacks and heuristics that can be used by them to optimize the use of smart gadgets by their teenager children. This communication should prove helpful for all health care professionals who are directly or indirectly involved in adolescent health care.