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Tag: privacy
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

12/22/2022

The Use of Close Friends on Instagram, Help-Seeking Willingness, and Suicidality Among Hong Kong Youth: Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Study

Chen S, Lam T, Lam K, Lo T, Chao D, Mak K, Lam E, Tang W, Chan H, Yip P. The Use of Close Friends on Instagram, Help-Seeking Willingness, and Suicidality Among Hong Kong Youth: Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Study. J Med Internet Res 2022;24(10):e37695 DOI: 10.2196/37695

This study examined youths’ private social media use via a new Instagram feature, Close Friends, and its relationship with online and offline help-seeking willingness and suicidality. The Close Friends Instagram feature allows private online interaction by permitting invited users only to view private posts. Forty youth participants aged 15-19 years old residing in Hong Kong were recruited. The motivations for using Close Friends and concerns regarding online expression were addressed in focus groups and individual interviews. A quantitative survey was also conducted among a larger sample of 1,676 students aged 15-19 years old in Hong Kong to examine the prevalence of Close Friends usage, online and offline help-seeking willingness, and suicide-related experiences. Focus group and interview data revealed common motives for using Close Friends to include interaction and seeking help from friends, release of negative emotions, and venting and self-expression. Survey results found 71% of youth use Close Friends and 46% use frequently. Overall, seeking help online was associated with higher risk of suicidality (Odds Ratio=1.50, 95% CI 1.04-2.15) and seeking help offline was associated with decreased suicidality (Odds Ratio=0.55, 95% CI 0.39-0.75). Close Friends users were significantly more likely to seek offline support than non-users, but frequent Close Friends users were more likely to seek help online and to be at higher risk of suicidality than non-users. Prevalent use of Close Friends represents an emerging trend for online expression and private conversation among youth. Excessive use of this feature may indicate more limited offline support or less desirable offline support for youth experiencing suicidality. Authors recommend future steps in determining the causal relationship between use of Close Friends and willingness to seek help.

12/05/2022

Book Chapter Sneak Peak: Introduction And Aims of Digital Therapeutics for Mental Health and Addiction

Article Excerpt: In this first chapter, the book’s editors Jacobson, Kowatsch and Marsch “introduce a comprehensive overview of the field of digital therapeutics and research on their efficacy, effectiveness, scalability, and cost-effectiveness (pp. 1).” The authors are looking to introduce the topic of digital therapeutics to a broad audience and designed this book for people without a background in mental health or substance use. The authors’ vision includes conveying how advancements in technology can be leveraged to increase the effectiveness of interventions. Topics relating to structural considerations include the design of interventions, cultural adaptations, regulation, and data privacy.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/56jdnyae

Article Source: Centre for Digital Health Interventions News

10/05/2021

The ‘Patient of The Future’ Is Driving Radical Innovation in Healthcare

Article Excerpt: In recent years, we have seen thinking shift from focusing on a disease’s treatment to seriously considering the wider potential for its prevention, enabled by dramatic advances in data science and supported by a pressing need to reduce healthcare costs. Leaps forward in both digital tools and widespread collection of medical and health data have provided many opportunities for the healthcare industry to adapt and change. The advent of COVID-19 has been a great testing environment for these technologies where, for example, the adoption of telemedicine was no longer an option but an urgent need to plug the gap in face-to-face medical care.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/36e2srj2

Article Source: Pharmaphorum

04/04/2021

Should You Read the Notes Your Doctor Writes About You?

Article Excerpt: Today, we do have the technology to capture the most critical and patient-centric pieces of a discussion (such as the critical details of a cancer diagnosis) and preserve these for the patient and family. This technology might be as simple as a voice memo on a smartphone, but it could soon be smarter and more automated than that. Next time we will explore this frontier, in the form of “Open Recordings,” with innovator and researcher Dr. Paul Barr.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/srmta22a

Article Source: Psychology Today

03/30/2021

Kotz speaks at Science Cafe

Article Excerpt: If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about your digital privacy and online security and didn’t know who to ask, this Science Cafe NH episode is the one to watch. In a one-hour long webinar, questions run the gamut of topics, from “Is 1password a good service to use?” to “What should you do if you’re hacked?” and “What are the real risks of sharing family photos and information on Facebook?” Panelists Professor Kotz, Dr. Nora Draper, and Azeddine Jakib give you their straightforward answers to help keep yourself, your families, communities, and broader networks safer.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/2jef4ehd

Article Source: SPLICE Project

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03/10/2021

Professor David Kotz ’86 Named ACM Fellow

Article Excerpt: David Kotz ’86, the Pat and John Rosenwald Professor in the Department of Computer Science, has been named a fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the world’s largest and most prestigious association of computing professionals… “I’m excited about the many opportunities for mobile and wearable computing systems to improve people’s lives—especially in applications to health and wellness,” he says. “However, the great power of such technologies can also come with great risks, especially when it handles data of a highly personal or sensitive nature. The goal of my research for the past 10 to 15 years has been to make it easy for everyday people to easily use these technologies securely, in a way that protects their privacy.”

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/b275dhr

Article Source: Dartmouth News

02/12/2021

Young people’s use of digital health technologies in the global north: Narrative review

Lupton D. (2021). Young people’s use of digital health technologies in the global north: Narrative review. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 23(1): e18286. doi: 10.2196/18286

This narrative review examines the literature from 2010 to present on use of digital health technologies among young people ages 5-30 in the global north (North America, Western Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand). Read More