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Tag: ethics
04/27/2023

ChatGPT Is Giving Therapy. a Mental Health Revolution May Be Next

Article Excerpt: ChatGPT itself warns that it is not a replacement for a psychologist or counsellor. But that has not stopped some people from using the platform as their personal therapist. In posts on online forums such as Reddit, users have described their experiences asking ChatGPT for advice about personal problems and difficult life events like breakups. Some have reported their experience with the chatbot being as good or better than traditional therapy.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/ybekzdkp

Article Source: Aljazeera

06/11/2021

mHealth research applied to regulated and unregulated behavioral health sciences

Nebeker C. (2020). mHealth research applied to regulated and unregulated behavioral health sciences. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics. 48(1): 49-59. doi: 10.1177/1073110520917029

Digital and mobile health (mHealth) technology has advanced behavioral research beyond what current regulations and guidelines can support, both for biomedical researchers and for citizen scientists (i.e., individuals without research training using mHealth for self-tracking and self-experimentation). Read More

12/01/2020

How BIg Data Can Save Lives in the Opioid Crisis

Article Excerpt: The use of big data to address the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts poses ethical concerns that could undermine its benefits without clear governance guidelines that protect and respect patients and society, a University of Massachusetts Amherst study concludes… Special consideration should be given to people with opioid use disorder, the study emphasizes. “When considering big data policies and procedures, it may be useful to view individuals with OUD as a population whose status warrants added protections to guard against potential harms,” the paper concludes.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/y2f9crxn

Article Source: Technology Networks. Original story from University of Massachusetts Amherst.

04/24/2020

Connected medical technology and cybersecurity informed consent: A new paradigm

Tully J, Coravos A, Doerr M, Dameff C. (2020). Connected medical technology and cybersecurity informed consent: A new paradigm. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 22(3): e17612. doi: 10.2196/17612

In this viewpoint discussion, the authors propose the development of cybersecurity-informed patient consent to address the potential risks to patients (physical harm, compromised private health information) from connected medical technologies (e.g. wearable activity trackers, mobile apps, implantable medical devices, telemedicine platforms). Read More

10/18/2019

Can your phone be your therapist? Young people’s ethical perspectives on the use of fully automated conversational agents (chatbots) in mental health support

Kretzschmar K, Tyroll H, Pavarini G, Manzini A, Singh I. (2019). Can your phone be your therapist? Young people’s ethical perspectives on the use of fully automated conversational agents (chatbots) in mental health support. Biomedical Informatics Insights. 11: 1–9. doi: 10.1177/1178222619829083

Twenty-four members and 3 co-leaders of an English health ethics student advisory group (aged 14-18) participated in group discussions of adolescent perspectives on computerized conversational agents (chatbots) in mental health interventions at a 4-day digital health conference in London. Read More

06/15/2018

Ethical issues for direct-to-consumer digital psychotherapy apps: Addressing accountability, data protection, and consent.

Martinez-Martin N, Kreitmair K. (2018). Ethical issues for direct-to-consumer digital psychotherapy apps: Addressing accountability, data protection, and consent. JMIR Mental Health. 5(2): e32. doi: 10.2196/mental.9423

Researchers examined ethical issues related to direct-to-consumer (commercially available; DTC) digital mental health services, highlighting issues surrounding data protection, accountability and liability, user safety, and informed consent. Read More

03/16/2018

Privacy policies for apps targeted toward youth: Descriptive analysis of readability.

Das G, Cheung C, Nebeker C, Bietz M, Bloss C. (2018). Privacy policies for apps targeted toward youth: Descriptive analysis of readability. JMIR mHealth and uHealth. 6(1): e3. doi: 10.2196/mhealth.7626

Researchers analyzed the readability of 64 privacy policies for top ranked (i.e., within top 30 free and paid in Apple and Android app stores) mobile applications (apps) usable by minors. Read More

03/09/2018

Talking to machines about personal mental health problems.

Miner AS, Milstein A, Hancock JT. (2017). Talking to machines about personal mental health problems. Journal of the American Medical Association. 318(13): 1217-1218. doi: 10.1001/jama.2017.14151

The authors describe use of artificial intelligence programs that converse with people as if they were human (conversational agents) in mental health. Read More

07/28/2017

Attitudes towards the ethics of research using social media: A systematic review.

Golder S, Ahmed S, Norman G, Booth A. (2017). Attitudes towards the ethics of research using social media: A systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 19(6): e195. doi: 10.2196/jmir.7082

Researchers reviewed 17 studies using any qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods methodology that included qualitative data on attitudes towards research using social media. Read More