A Digital Personal Health Library for Enabling Precision Health Promotion to Prevent Human Papilloma Virus-Associated Cancers.

Olufunto A Olusanya,Arash Shaban-Nejad,Robert A Bednarczyk,Robert L Davis,Nariman Ammar

doi:10.3389/fdgth.2021.683161

Abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. Sexually active young adults are susceptible to HPV, accounting for approximately 50% of new STIs. Oncogenic HPV subtypes 16 and 18 are associated with squamous intraepithelial lesions and cancers and are mostly preventable through prophylactic HPV vaccination. Accordingly, this study's objectives are to (1) summarize SDoH barriers and implication for low HPV vaccination rates among young adults (18–26 years), (2) propose a digital health solution that utilizes the PHL to collect, integrate, and manage personalized sexual and health information, and (3) describe the features of the PHL-based app. Through the application of novel techniques from artificial intelligence, specifically knowledge representation, semantic web, and natural language processing, this proposed PHL-based application will compile clinical, biomedical, and SDoH data from multi-dimensional sources. Therefore, this application will provide digital health interventions that are customized to individuals' specific needs and capacities. The PHL-based application could promote management and usage of personalized digital health information to facilitate precision health promotion thereby, informing health decision-making regarding HPV vaccinations, routine HPV/STI testing, cancer screenings, vaccine safety/efficacy/side effects, and safe sexual practices. In addition to detecting vaccine hesitancy, disparities and perceived barriers, this application could address participants' specific needs/challenges with navigating health literacy, technical skills, peer influence, education, language, cultural and spiritual beliefs. Precision health promotion focused on improving knowledge acquisition and information-seeking behaviors, promoting safe sexual practices, increasing HPV vaccinations, and facilitating cancer screenings could be effective in preventing HPV-associated cancers.

Highlights

Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States [1]
The objectives of this article are to (i) summarize social determinants of health (SDoH) barriers and implication for low HPV vaccination rates among susceptible young adults (18–26 years); (ii) propose a digital health solution that utilizes the Personal Health Library (PHL) to collect, integrate, and manage personalized sexual and health information; and (iii) describe case scenarios and features of the PHL-based app based on ease of use, clinical content, and requirement gathering
The immune response elicited by HPV vaccines is effective in preventing infections from the high-risk HPV subtypes (16 and 18) responsible for 92% of HPV-associated cancers

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States [1]. The objectives of this article are to (i) summarize SDoH barriers and implication for low HPV vaccination rates among susceptible young adults (18–26 years); (ii) propose a digital health solution that utilizes the PHL to collect, integrate, and manage personalized sexual and health information; and (iii) describe case scenarios and features of the PHL-based app based on ease of use, clinical content, and requirement gathering. Scenario 2 PHL-based app features: (i) social features: chatting channels and shared notepads, (ii) SDoH characteristics: access to nearby sexual health resources and information, (iii) management of trusted sex partners, (iv) recommendations on safe-sex behavior and safer-sex guidelines, (v) recalls and reminders for vaccinations, STI tests, and cancer screenings, (vi) privacy and confidentiality, and (vii) language preferences. Scenario 4 PHL-based app features: Social features: chatting channels, shared notepads, (ii) video conference and telehealth, (iii) recommendations on safe sex behavior, (iv) reminders for cancer screenings and testing, (v) manages trusted sex partners, thereby facilitating contact tracing, and (vi) privacy and confidentiality. Requirements addressed: (i) Safe sex practices including condom use, (ii) HPV vaccine uptake, (iii) routine HPV/HIV/STI testing, (iv) birth control options, (v) privacy and confidentiality, and (vi) contact tracing

CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Findings

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT