Cell Phone Calls Research Articles

Study on the Impact Degrees of Several Driving Behaviors When Driving While Performing Secondary Tasks

Driving while performing secondary tasks is a common phenomenon and can lead to car crashes and human injuries. However, the impact degrees of several secondary tasks have not been determined. To study the importance of several secondary task driving behaviors on driving safety, an eye movement tracking system and a vehicle running state collection system were utilized to determine the laws of behavioral parameters when driving while performing six secondary tasks including Bluetooth calls, cell phone calls, sending text messages, operating car-mounted players, chatting, and singing. Then, an experiment was carried out to collect the evaluation indices of eye movement behaviors and vehicle running statuses. A characteristic extraction method that is based on the gray incidence clustering method was used to extract the characteristic evaluation indices. The generalized gray Euclidean distance was utilized to extract the characteristic evaluation indices. Then, seven characteristic evaluation indices were extracted from 17 evaluation indices. In order to verify the accuracy of the evaluation index system, 17 candidate evaluation indices were screened out to eight by principal component analysis. From this result, the established evaluation index system is all included in eight indices selected by principal component analysis. Furthermore, the characteristic evaluation indices and the six secondary task modes were combined to build the entropy weight decision-making matrix, based on which the weights of each driving behavior mode were determined via the entropy weight method and the impact degrees of the six driving behavior modes on the driving safety were obtained. The results of this research demonstrate that the operation of car-mounted players had the greatest impact on driving safety, whereas making cell phone calls had the least impact.

Feasibility of implementing a cellphone-based reminder/recall strategy to improve childhood routine immunization in a low-resource setting: a descriptive report

BackgroundReminder/recall systems are effective ways to improve immunization rates, but their feasibility in primary health care (PHC) settings in Nigeria has not been adequately evaluated. In this study we describe the acceptability and adaptability of immunization reminder/recall system in an urban setting in southwest Nigeria.MethodsThis is a descriptive report of a cluster randomized controlled trial. Four local government areas (LGAs) were randomly assigned into a cellphone reminder/recall intervention group or a usual care control group. Within each LGA, PHC centers were purposively selected to participate in the study. In each PHC center, mothers and their infants aged 0–3 months were enrolled into the two groups during the infants’ first immunization visit. Mothers (or other contact persons) in the intervention group received cellphone calls reminding them to take their child for scheduled immunizations. Follow-up of all the children lasted till the final scheduled immunization visit for each child. The intervention lasted for 13 months.ResultsA total of 595 mothers/infants pairs (295 in the intervention group and 300 in the control group) participated in the study. Almost all mothers (n = 590, 99.2%) had access to their own cellphone or had access to a cellphone belonging to a significant other. Ninety-eight percent (n = 584) of all mothers were willing to receive immunization reminder/recall phone calls.Eighty-seven percent (n = 2023) of all calls (n = 2324) for the reminder/recall intervention went through to the recipients and of these calls, 1948 (96.3%) were received. The mean cost of each call in US Dollars was about 5 cents. Immunization compliance rate (the receipt of required number of doses of routine vaccines at the appropriate age at recommended interval) was 79.2% among the children in intervention group and 46.4% in the control group (p < 0.001).ConclusionResults demonstrate that cellphone reminder/recall interventions to improve routine childhood immunization are feasible in PHC settings in limited-resource settings with wide cellphone coverage, such as urban areas in Nigeria. Further research to test the potential for scale up in a variety of settings is recommended.Trial registrationPACTR201702002043415; Date of registration: 17 February 2017. (Retrospectively registered).

The Extent of Distraction of Cell Phone Conversations for Passengers in Simulated Flight

Currently, passengers are forbidden from making cell phone calls during flights in the United States due to cellular electronic interference. However, related research has demonstrated that the use of cell phones has little interference with avionics. Furthermore, any potential electronic interference can be eliminated by using new technology. Although talking on the cell phone does not cause electronic interference, the distraction of a passenger caused by a cell phone may negatively impact safety. The purpose of the research was to compare the extent of safety compliance (checking seatbelts, raising tray tables) and retention of announcements among three groups: cell phone conversation, face-to-face conversation (i.e., talking with the passenger next to them), and control. Findings revealed that the cell phone group and the face-to-face group recalled less information from safety announcement and complied with safety behaviors to a lesser degree than the control group. The face-to-face group was not safer than the cell phone group on any measure. Therefore, it is recommended that lifting the ban on in-flight cell phone calls should be considered.

Development of a Theoretically Grounded, Web-Based Intervention to Reduce Adolescent Driver Inattention.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of adolescent death. Inattention to the roadway contributes to crash risk and often results from distractions, such as cell phone calls, texting, and peer passengers. We report on the development of a web-based intervention based on the Theory of Planned Behavior that aims to reduce adolescent driver inattention ( Let's Choose Ourselves). In Phase I, we collected qualitative and quantitative data on adolescents' attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms about driver inattention through focus groups with newly licensed adolescent drivers. In Phase II, we developed the content in an e-learning delivery system, performed beta- and pilot testing, and made refinements. In Phase III, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate feasibility. The development of Let's Choose Ourselves provides information for school nurses regarding intervention development strategies as well as promotion of safe adolescent driving by reducing driver inattention.

The Backdoor that Leads to the Trap Door: The Unusual Effects of 18 U.S.C 2703 (D) and Stingrays

“Sometimes I feel like somebody’s watching me!” Today, we’re all being watched, most times incidentally. Take for instance traffic cameras. They’re meant to keep us safe, right? Wrong. Although traffic cameras take photos of license plates, the photos do not prevent the accidents that occur from running red lights. Traffic lights are one new means of governmental surveillance. Although, not as invasive as Stingrays. The license plate of each commuter is captured and the face of every pedestrian who passes the block is recorded and saved in a database run by the local government. The author illustrates how the Fourth Amendment has eroded because of back-door requests that grant use of International Mobile Subscriber Identity devices (Stingrays). The use of Stingrays is at an all-time high. A Stingray operates as a fictitious “cell phone tower” and forces cell phones in about a 200-yard radius to send it private information. If not properly regulated on a state or federal level, illegal searches and seizures of cell-phone data will become a norm. Law-abiding citizens’ cell phone metadata, phone calls, and digital footprints are caught in the cross-fire of seeking out crime. The second part of this note draws parallels between the California ECPA statute and Louisiana’s Stingray statute.

Cell Phone Calls in the Operating Theater and Staff Distractions: An Observational Study.

Cell phones are the primary communication tool in our institution. There are no restrictions on their use in the operating rooms. The goal of this study was to evaluate the extent of cell phone use in the operating rooms during elective surgery and to evaluate whether they cause staff distractions. The following data on cell phone use were recorded anonymously: number of incoming and outgoing cell phone calls, duration of cell phone calls and their content (patient related, work related, private), who was distracted by the cell phone calls, and duration of distractions. We made observations during 52 surgeries. There were 205 cell phone calls, 197 (96.1%; median, 3 per surgery; interquartile range, 2-5) incoming and 8 (3.9%) outgoing. Incoming calls were answered on 110 (55.8%) of 197 (median, 2; interquartile range, 1-3) occasions. The mean duration of incoming calls (64 ± 40 seconds) was shorter than those of the outgoing calls (137 ± 242 seconds, P < 0.001). During 29 (14.7%) of 197 incoming calls, 30 staff distractions occurred. Distractions were caused mainly for surgeons talking on their cell phones (24/30, 80.0%). The mean duration of the distractions was 43.6 ± 22.3 seconds. During all 8 outgoing calls, no other staff members were distracted. The number of cell phone calls in the operating rooms during elective surgery was lower than expected and caused short-lived distractions mainly to the operating surgeons. We recommend that operating surgeons turn off their cell phones before surgery.

Use of email, cell phone and text message between patients and primary-care physicians: cross-sectional study in a French-speaking part of Switzerland.

BackgroundPhysicians’ daily work is increasingly affected by the use of emails, text messages and cell phone calls with their patients. The aim of this study was to describe their use between primary-care physicians and patients in a French-speaking part of Switzerland.MethodsA cross-sectional mail survey was conducted among all primary-care physicians of Geneva canton (n = 636). The questionnaire focused on the frequency of giving access to, type of use, advantages and disadvantages of email, cell phone calls and text messages communication between physicians and patients.ResultsSix hundred thirty-six questionnaires were mailed, 412 (65 %) were returned and 372 (58 %) could be analysed (37 refusals and three blanks). Seventy-two percent physicians gave their email-address and 74 % their cell phone number to their patients. Emails were used to respond to patients’ questions (82 %) and change appointments (72 %) while cell phone calls and text messages were used to follow patients’ health conditions. Sixty-four percent of those who used email communication never discussed the rules for email exchanges, and 54 % did not address confidentiality issues with their patients. Most commonly identified advantages of emails, cell phone calls and text messages were improved relationship with the patient, saving time (for emails) and improving the follow-up (for cell phone and text messages). The main disadvantages included misuse by the patient, interference with private life and lack of reimbursement.ConclusionsThese tools are widely used by primary-care physicians with their patients. More attention should be paid to confidentiality, documentation and reimbursement when using email communication in order to optimize its use.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1776-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Predictors of Cell Phone Use in Distracted Driving: Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior

This study examines the predictors of six distracted driving behaviors, and the survey data partially support Ajzen’s (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The data suggest that the attitude variable predicted intention to engage in all six distracted driving behaviors (reading and sending text messages, making and answering cell phone calls, reading/viewing social media, and posting on social media while driving). Extending the model to include past experience and the variable perceived safety of technology yielded an improvement in the prediction of the distraction variables. Specifically, past experience predicted all six distracted driving behaviors, and the variable perceived safety of technology predicted intentions to read/view social media and intention to post on social media while driving. The study provides evidence for the importance of incorporating expanded variables into the original TPB model to predict cell phone use behaviors while driving, and it suggests that it is essential to tailor campaign materials for each specific cell phone use behavior to reduce distracted driving.

An Evaluation of the Impact of Goal Setting and Cell Phone Calls on Juvenile Rearrests.

Using a sample of 256 juvenile offenders who were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, this study evaluates a cognitive-behavioral program that combines cognitive training, goal setting, and a phone-coach follow-up. The training involved six classroom sessions where participants received instruction and help in creating individualized goals. After attending the classes, participants received automated phone calls twice a day for up to a year. During the year following the program, the treatment and control groups were not significantly different in whether or not they were rearrested or in total rearrests. However, the total number of calls received had a significant negative association with whether or not they were rearrested for a felony and with the total number of felony rearrests.

College students' cell phone use and attachment to parents and peers

College students spend hours each day using their cell phones. A common motivation for this behavior is the maintenance of social relations. Yet depending on cell phone use behavior, cell phone use could potentially strengthen or weaken social relations. We investigated this possibility with a survey (N = 493) assessing students' perceptions of important social relations (i.e., Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment) and various cell phone use behaviors. The relationship between cell phone use and Parent Attachment was modeled with three regression equations, one for each Parent Attachment subscale (i.e., communication, trust, alienation). These subscales were the criterion variables. Each regression equation contained the same predictor variables: total daily cell phone use, calling, texting, and problematic use. Anxiety and self-esteem were control variables. The relationship between cell phone use and Peer Attachment was modeled similarly. Regression equations were estimated simultaneously using the Seemingly Unrelated Regression technique. For males: calling, texting and total daily use were not related to parent or peer attachment; problematic use was negatively related to parent and peer attachment. For females: calling was positively related to parental attachment and texting to peer attachment; problematic use was negatively related to parent and peer attachment. Implications are discussed.

Indexes of inflammation for patients by chronic pancreatitis in combination with the chronic heart failure

This study investigated driver distraction and how the use of handheld (HH), portable hands-free (PHF), and integrated hands-free (IHF) cell phones affected the visual behavior of motor vehicle drivers.A naturalistic driving study recorded 204 participating drivers using video cameras and vehicle sensors for an average of 31 days. A total of 1564 cell phone calls made and 844 text messages sent while driving were sampled and underwent a video review. Baselines were established by recording epochs prior to the cell phone interactions. Total eyes-off-road time (TEORT) was examined to assess the visual demands of cell phone subtasks while driving. Percent TEORT was reported and compared against the baseline.Visual-manual subtasks performed on HH, PHF, and IHF cell phones were found to significantly increase drivers' mean percent TEORT. In contrast, conversing on an HH cell phone was found to significantly decrease drivers' mean percent TEORT, indicating that drivers looked at the forward roadway more often. No significant differences in percent TEORT were found for drivers conversing using PHF or IHF cell phones. The mean TEORT durations for visual-manual subtasks performed on an HH cell phone were significantly longer than the mean TEORT durations on either IHF or PHF cell phones.This research helps to further reinforce the distinction made between handheld and hands-free cell phone use in transportation distraction policy.

Cell Phone Ownership and Service Plans Among Low-Income Smokers: The Hidden Cost of Quitlines.

Quitlines (QLs) are free, effective sources of treatment for tobacco dependence. Although the QL number is toll-free, the use of cell phones as the sole source of telephony may impose an unintended cost, in terms of cell minutes. To quantify the use of cell-only telephony among self-pay or Medicaid smokers, assess their calling plans, and estimate the impact of a typical course of QL counseling. A survey of smokers age at least 18 years visiting an American urban emergency department from April to July, 2013. Seven-hundred seventy-three smokers were surveyed, of whom 563 (72.8%) were low-income, defined as having Medicaid or no insurance. All low-income smokers had at least one phone: 48 (8.5%) reported land-lines only, 159 (28.2%) land-lines and cells, and 356 (63.2%) cells only. Of the cell phone owners, monthly calling plans provided unlimited minutes for 339/515 (65.8%), at most 250 minutes for 124 (24.1%), and more than 250 minutes for 52 (10.0%). Another recent trial found that QL users make a median of 1 call lasting 28 minutes, with the 75th and 90th percentiles of calls and minutes at 3 and 4 calls, and 48 and 73.6 minutes, respectively. Thus, robust use of QL services could consume 11%-29% of a low-income smoker's typical 250 monthly cell minutes. Among low-income smokers, cell phones are often the sole telephone. Robust use of the QL may impose a substantial burden on low-income smokers' calling plans, and therefore deter use of the QL. Exempting calls to QLs from counting against smokers' plans may help promote QL utilization. Low-income individuals have high rates of smoking, and are more likely to own only cell phones, not landlines, for telephone access. Because cell phone calling plans often have limited numbers of monthly minutes, cell-only individuals may have to spend a substantial proportion of their monthly minutes on QL services. This may act as a deterrent to using an otherwise free, effective means of treatment for tobacco dependence. Exempting QLs from monthly calling plans may improve access for low-income smokers.

Texting, Drugs and Driving: A “Triple Threat” To Driving Safety?

Driving is an important task that demands the full attention of the driver. There are many different factors that can compromise driving performance and lead to vehicle crashes. Perhaps two of the most common, yet also the most dangerous, are drug (including alcohol) influences on driving and distractions using handheld devices like cell phone calls and/or texting. Although each of these driving disruptors has been studied separately and has been shown to adversely affect driving performance, there is a paucity of data regarding the effects of these driving disruptors when combined. Given the explosion of handheld electronic devices, and the likelihood that drivers are using these devices when they are driving, it is not surprising that reports of crashes relating to this 'triple threat' combination of drugs (including alcohol), texting and driving are on the rise and in the news. Clearly, this 'triple threat' of texting, drugs and driving is a problem that requires research attention.

High Ringxiety: Attachment Anxiety Predicts Experiences of Phantom Cell Phone Ringing.

Mobile cell phone users have reported experiencing ringing and/or vibrations associated with incoming calls and messages, only to find that no call or message had actually registered. We believe this phenomenon can be understood as a human signal detection issue, with potentially important influences from psychological attributes. We hypothesized that individuals higher in attachment anxiety would report more frequent phantom cell phone experiences, whereas individuals higher in attachment avoidance would report less frequent experiences. If these experiences are primarily psychologically related to attributes of interpersonal relationships, associations with attachment style should be stronger than for general sensation seeking. We also predicted that certain contexts would interact with attachment style to increase or decrease the likelihood of experiencing phantom cell phone calls and messages. Attachment anxiety directly predicted the frequency of phantom ringing and notification experiences, whereas attachment avoidance and sensation seeking did not directly predict frequency. Attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance interacted with contextual factors (expectations for a call or message and concerned about an issue that one may be contacted about) in the expected directions for predicting phantom cell phone experiences.

Preliminary research developing a theory of cell phone distraction and social relationships

Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death and injury for people aged 5–34, accounting annually for over 3000 deaths, and 100 times as many injuries. It is well established that distracted driving, and cell phone use while driving in particular, pose significant crash risk to drivers. Research has demonstrated that drivers are well aware of this danger but over 90% of drivers report using a cell phone while driving. Given the likely role that social influence plays in how people use cell phones while driving surprisingly little research has been conducted investigating to whom drivers are talking or texting. We report the results of a national survey to determine who drivers are most likely to call or text when behind the wheel and compared these results with general cell phone calling and texting patterns as well as previous findings on the prevalence of calling and texting while driving. The results suggest that social distance is a key factor in cell phone use while driving: Teens are more likely to talk with parents, and adults are more likely to talk with spouses than general calling patterns would suggest. We discuss whether the purpose of calls made while driving, such as coordination, could help explain these patterns. We propose next steps for further examining the role social relationships play in cell phone use while driving to potentially reduce teen driver cell phone use by lowering the number of calls from parents.

Teen Drivers’ Perceptions of Inattention and Cell Phone Use While Driving

Objective: Inattention to the roadway, including cell phone use while driving (cell phone calls, sending and reading texts, mobile app use, and Internet use), is a critical problem for teen drivers and increases risk for crashes. Effective behavioral interventions for teens are needed in order to decrease teen driver inattention related to cell phone use while driving. However, teens’ perceptions of mobile device use while driving is a necessary component for theoretically driven behavior change interventions. The purpose of this study was to describe teen drivers’ perceptions of cell phone use while driving in order to inform future interventions to reduce risky driving.Methods: We conducted 7 focus groups with a total of 30 teen drivers, ages 16–18, licensed for ≤1 year in Pennsylvania. The focus group interview guide and analysis were based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, identifying the attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and norms about inattention to the roadway. Directed descriptive content analysis was used to analyze the focus group interviews. All focus groups were coded by 2 research team members and discrepancies were reconciled. Themes were developed based on the data.Results: Teens had a mean age of 17.39 (SD = 0.52), mean length of licensure of 173.7 days (SD = 109.2; range 4–364), were 50% male and predominately white (90%) and non-Hispanic (97%). From the focus group data, 3 major themes emerged: (1) Recognizing the danger but still engaging; (2) Considering context; and (3) Formulating safer behaviors that might reduce risk. Despite recognizing that handheld cell phone use, texting, and social media app use are dangerous and distracting while driving, teens and their peers often engaged in these behaviors. Teens described how the context of the situation contributed to whether a teen would place or answer a call, write or respond to a text, or use a social media app. Teens identified ways in which they controlled their behaviors, although some still drew attention away from the roadway.Conclusions: Cell phone use while driving is a contributor to motor vehicle crashes in teens, and effective interventions to decrease risks are needed. Teens viewed some types of cell phone use as unsafe and describe methods in which they control their behaviors. However, some of their methods still take attention off the primary task of driving. Teens could benefit from behavior change interventions that propose strategies to promote focused attention on the roadway at all times during the driving trip.

Drivers' visual behavior when using handheld and hands-free cell phones

This study investigated driver distraction and how the use of handheld (HH), portable hands-free (PHF), and integrated hands-free (IHF) cell phones affected the visual behavior of motor vehicle drivers. A naturalistic driving study recorded 204 participating drivers using video cameras and vehicle sensors for an average of 31 days. A total of 1564 cell phone calls made and 844 text messages sent while driving were sampled and underwent a video review. Baselines were established by recording epochs prior to the cell phone interactions. Total eyes-off-road time (TEORT) was examined to assess the visual demands of cell phone subtasks while driving. Percent TEORT was reported and compared against the baseline. Visual-manual subtasks performed on HH, PHF, and IHF cell phones were found to significantly increase drivers' mean percent TEORT. In contrast, conversing on an HH cell phone was found to significantly decrease drivers' mean percent TEORT, indicating that drivers looked at the forward roadway more often. No significant differences in percent TEORT were found for drivers conversing using PHF or IHF cell phones. The mean TEORT durations for visual-manual subtasks performed on an HH cell phone were significantly longer than the mean TEORT durations on either IHF or PHF cell phones. This research helps to further reinforce the distinction made between handheld and hands-free cell phone use in transportation distraction policy.

Stanislav Sobolevsky-Research Scientist and Co-Lead of Network and Society Area at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Stanislav Sobolevsky Research Scientist and Co-Lead of Network And Society Area at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology SENSEable City Laboratory, PhD Dr. Stanislav Sobolevsky is a Research Scientist at the SENSEable City Lab at MIT, leading the Lab's Network and Society Area since 2012. Holds PhD (1999) and Doctor of Science (2009; habilitation degree) in Mathematics and applies his fundamental quantitative background to studying human behavior in urban context through it's digital traces- spatio-temporal big data created by various aspects of human activity, including bank card transactions, cell phone calls, vehicle GPS traces, social media records etc. His research interests cover network science, big data analytics, modeling of complex systems and the theory of differential equations. Authored a monograph, several textbooks and over 50 peer-reviewed papers in data analy - sis, network science, mathematics and mathematical modeling. Served as an organizer of recent and upcoming big data confer - ences and symposia, including IEEE Big Data Congress' 2015 in NY as well as an editor of several special issues on big data of the recognized IEEE, Elsevier's and Springer's journals. His former work experience includes research, professorship and administra - tive positions in Belarusian State University and National Academy of Science of Belarus.Chair person of INDCARE College of Law.No Abstract.

Understanding the Role of Technology in Adolescent Dating and Dating Violence

A significant part of an adolescent’s day includes the use of technology, such as cell phone calls, instant messaging, and posts to social networking sites. Although studies have documented the benefits of technology use, there are significant downsides as well. For example, recent studies have shown that adolescents use technology to harass and abuse others, including dating partners. However, questions remain on how technology use and dating violence intersect at different stages in the couple’s relationship and whether this intersection is different for boys and girls. This article begins to fill these gaps by presenting the findings from focus groups with 39 high school aged adolescents, all of whom had experienced a problematic relationship in the past year. Results showed that adolescents used technology to initiate and dissolve dating relationships, often with text messages or posts to social networking sites. Technology use also caused jealousy, and it was used to monitor and isolate partners from others. Gender differences in the use of technology are highlighted. Finally, recommendations for prevention programs for adolescents and parents are discussed.

Performance Evaluation of Handoff-Based Cellular Traffic Monitoring Systems Using Combined Wireless and Traffic Simulation Platform

Handoff-based cellular probe technologies have been proven to be a cost-effective solution for traffic surveillance due to their low cost, large sample size, and intensive spatial coverage. At the same time, the development of reliable simulation tools that can be used to conduct a feasibility study, performance evaluation, and estimation model testing for cellular probe technologies, especially in the arterial environment, is still limited. In this study, by simulating the real-world signal delaying and wireless signal communication protocols, we establish a simulation platform for evaluating cellular probe system. The simulation platform eliminates unrealistic assumption on static and regular cell boundaries in the existing simulation tools and can provide simulation results similar to field observations. Based on the platform, we compared the performance of cellular probe system under both freeway and arterial environment. We analyzed the impact of traffic conditions, the duration of cellphone calls, and penetration rate on the handoff efficiency, handoff link speed error, and information-disseminating link speed estimation error. In addition, we also provide a detailed evaluation of the accuracy of the intersection delay estimation and the potential error sources and mechanism. The results show that the handoff-based cellular probe technologies attain good performance in traffic monitoring and the proposed simulation platform can reflect the real-world condition on an acceptable level.