• Technology, community, and equity: Considerations for collecting social determinants data

      Singh, Aditi; Ding, Eric Y.; Mehawej, Jordy; Joshi, Shiksha; Soni, Apurv; Mujahid, Mahasin S. (2022-02-12)
      Gathering detailed information on an individual’s neighborhood environment is becoming increasingly recognized as a crucial component of understanding the impact that social determinants have on individual and public health, and this has been further highlighted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging research clearly demonstrates COVID-19’s differential impact on underserved and rural communities, and it is imperative to adequately capture important neighborhood-level predictors of health outcomes to better understand the extent to which these communities have been affected, and to equitably promote their recovery and healing. mHealth tools have drastically transformed the framework of data collection within clinical and population health research and can significantly reduce accessibility barriers for research participants to allow for convenient, continuous real-time health and activity space assessments. Digital interventions leveraging remote data collection, and providing study participants with requisite devices when necessary, serves to bridge the digital divide that would otherwise preclude rural populations’ participation in key research opportunities for advancing health equity.
    • The Feasibility and Acceptability of Google Glass for Teletoxicology Consults

      Chai, Peter R.; Babu, Kavita; Boyer, Edward W. (2015-09-01)
      Teletoxicology offers the potential for toxicologists to assist in providing medical care at remote locations, via remote, interactive augmented audiovisual technology. This study examined the feasibility of using Google Glass, a head-mounted device that incorporates a webcam, viewing prism, and wireless connectivity, to assess the poisoned patient by a medical toxicology consult staff. Emergency medicine residents (resident toxicology consultants) rotating on the toxicology service wore Glass during bedside evaluation of poisoned patients; Glass transmitted real-time video of patients' physical examination findings to toxicology fellows and attendings (supervisory consultants), who reviewed these findings. We evaluated the usability (e.g., quality of connectivity and video feeds) of Glass by supervisory consultants, as well as attitudes towards use of Glass. Resident toxicology consultants and supervisory consultants completed 18 consults through Glass. Toxicologists viewing the video stream found the quality of audio and visual transmission usable in 89 % of cases. Toxicologists reported their management of the patient changed after viewing the patient through Glass in 56 % of cases. Based on findings obtained through Glass, toxicologists recommended specific antidotes in six cases. Head-mounted devices like Google Glass may be effective tools for real-time teletoxicology consultation.