Using smartphone technology to reduce health impacts from atmospheric environmental hazards
Background: Global environmental change is exacerbating human vulnerability to adverse atmospheric conditions including air pollution, aeroallergens such as pollen, and extreme weather events. Public information and advisories are a central component of responses to mitigate the human impacts of env...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2018-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aab1e6 |
| _version_ | 1797748305349836800 |
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| author | F H Johnston A J Wheeler G J Williamson S L Campbell P J Jones I S Koolhof C Lucani N B Cooling D M J S Bowman |
| author_facet | F H Johnston A J Wheeler G J Williamson S L Campbell P J Jones I S Koolhof C Lucani N B Cooling D M J S Bowman |
| author_sort | F H Johnston |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Global environmental change is exacerbating human vulnerability to adverse atmospheric conditions including air pollution, aeroallergens such as pollen, and extreme weather events. Public information and advisories are a central component of responses to mitigate the human impacts of environmental hazards. Digital technologies are emerging as a means of providing personalised, timely and accessible warnings. Method: We describe AirRater, an integrated online platform that combines symptom surveillance, environmental monitoring, and notifications of changing environmental conditions via a free smartphone app. It was developed and launched in Tasmania, Australia (population 510 000), with the aim of reducing health impacts and improving quality of life in people with conditions such as asthma and allergic rhinitis. We present environmental data, user uptake and results from three online evaluation surveys conducted during the first 22 months of operation, from October 2015 through August 2017. Results: There were 3,443 downloads of the app from all regions of Tasmania. Of the 1,959 individuals who registered, 79% reported having either asthma or allergic rhinitis. Downloads increased during adverse environmental conditions and following publicity. Symptom reports per active user were highest during spring (72%), lowest in autumn (37%) and spiked during periods of reduced air quality. In response to online surveys, most users reported that the app was useful and had improved their understanding of how environmental conditions affect their health, and in some cases had prompted action such as the timely use of medication. Conclusion: Active engagement and consistent positive feedback from users demonstrates the potential for considerable individual, clinical and wider public health benefits from integrated and personalised monitoring systems such as AirRater. The perceived health benefits require objective verification, and such systems need to address several challenges in providing timely, reliable and valid environmental data. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:02:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cff6d5c8e81245c89cf8c0a895d928f5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:02:59Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-cff6d5c8e81245c89cf8c0a895d928f52023-08-09T14:32:28ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262018-01-0113404401910.1088/1748-9326/aab1e6Using smartphone technology to reduce health impacts from atmospheric environmental hazardsF H Johnston0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5150-8678A J Wheeler1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9288-8163G J Williamson2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3469-7550S L Campbell3P J Jones4I S Koolhof5C Lucani6N B Cooling7D M J S Bowman8https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8075-124XMenzies Institute for Medical Research , University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia; Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed.Menzies Institute for Medical Research , University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, AustraliaSchool of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania , Hobart, TAS 7000, AustraliaMenzies Institute for Medical Research , University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, AustraliaMenzies Institute for Medical Research , University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, AustraliaMenzies Institute for Medical Research , University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, AustraliaSchool of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania , Hobart, TAS 7000, AustraliaSchool of Medicine, University of Tasmania , Hobart, Tasmania 7001, AustraliaSchool of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania , Hobart, TAS 7000, AustraliaBackground: Global environmental change is exacerbating human vulnerability to adverse atmospheric conditions including air pollution, aeroallergens such as pollen, and extreme weather events. Public information and advisories are a central component of responses to mitigate the human impacts of environmental hazards. Digital technologies are emerging as a means of providing personalised, timely and accessible warnings. Method: We describe AirRater, an integrated online platform that combines symptom surveillance, environmental monitoring, and notifications of changing environmental conditions via a free smartphone app. It was developed and launched in Tasmania, Australia (population 510 000), with the aim of reducing health impacts and improving quality of life in people with conditions such as asthma and allergic rhinitis. We present environmental data, user uptake and results from three online evaluation surveys conducted during the first 22 months of operation, from October 2015 through August 2017. Results: There were 3,443 downloads of the app from all regions of Tasmania. Of the 1,959 individuals who registered, 79% reported having either asthma or allergic rhinitis. Downloads increased during adverse environmental conditions and following publicity. Symptom reports per active user were highest during spring (72%), lowest in autumn (37%) and spiked during periods of reduced air quality. In response to online surveys, most users reported that the app was useful and had improved their understanding of how environmental conditions affect their health, and in some cases had prompted action such as the timely use of medication. Conclusion: Active engagement and consistent positive feedback from users demonstrates the potential for considerable individual, clinical and wider public health benefits from integrated and personalised monitoring systems such as AirRater. The perceived health benefits require objective verification, and such systems need to address several challenges in providing timely, reliable and valid environmental data.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aab1e6air pollutonpollensmartphone apphealthsymptom surveillance |
| spellingShingle | F H Johnston A J Wheeler G J Williamson S L Campbell P J Jones I S Koolhof C Lucani N B Cooling D M J S Bowman Using smartphone technology to reduce health impacts from atmospheric environmental hazards Environmental Research Letters air polluton pollen smartphone app health symptom surveillance |
| title | Using smartphone technology to reduce health impacts from atmospheric environmental hazards |
| title_full | Using smartphone technology to reduce health impacts from atmospheric environmental hazards |
| title_fullStr | Using smartphone technology to reduce health impacts from atmospheric environmental hazards |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using smartphone technology to reduce health impacts from atmospheric environmental hazards |
| title_short | Using smartphone technology to reduce health impacts from atmospheric environmental hazards |
| title_sort | using smartphone technology to reduce health impacts from atmospheric environmental hazards |
| topic | air polluton pollen smartphone app health symptom surveillance |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aab1e6 |
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