Contact Tracing Application Research Articles

Turkey’s Contact Tracing Infrastructure From Security and Privacy Perspective

Contact tracing applications may lead to security and privacy concerns. Turkey’s contact tracing application (Hayat Eve Sığar, abbreviated as HES), which is introduced during COVID-19 pandemic, have not been covered yet for its security and privacy features. Comparison of HES with the existing cutting-edge contact tracing approaches could be used to analyse and determine the features of HES. Comparison indicated the undocumented security and privacy features of HES and revealed a set of vulnerabilities that could cause serious attacks. Mitigation techniques against vulnerabilities are proposed but current HES application includes serious attacks that could be performed by an insider or an outsider. The analysis emphasized to be considered in the design of similar applications that will emerge in the future.

Thematic Analysis of User Experience of Contact Tracing Applications for COVID-19 Using Twitter Data

This paper aims to explore Kuwaiti users' perspectives and experiences with Shlonik, the mandatory contact tracing application that was used during the COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of 2,450 tweets about users' experiences was collected and thematically analyzed. The analysis used DeLone and McLean's information system success model to explore aspects of the degree to which this app can be judged a “success,” using parameters of system quality and service quality. A novel finding identified by this qualitative study was the significance of themes identified in the analysis such as social privacy (timing, privacy, and female privacy, which are related to the cultural and religious norms of Kuwait) and technical privacy (related to data protection). The research identified significant conflict with cultural and social norms in users' experience of the Shlonik app – factors not normally identified or discussed in existing literature. This research supports a need for improved strategies and designs in future m-government applications in developing countries.

Factors affecting the intention to use COVID-19 contact tracing application "StaySafe PH": Integrating protection motivation theory, UTAUT2, and system usability theory.

StaySafe PH is the Philippines' official contact tracing software for controlling the propagation of COVID-19 and promoting a uniform contact tracing strategy. The StaySafe PH has various features such as a social distancing system, LGU heat map and response system, real-time monitoring, graphs, infographics, and the primary purpose, which is a contact tracing system. This application is mandatory in establishments such as fast-food restaurants, banks, and malls. The purpose of this research was to determine the country's willingness to utilize StaySafe PH. Specifically, this study utilized 12 latent variables from the integrated Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2), and System Usability Scale (SUS). Data from 646 respondents in the Philippines were employed through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), Deep Learning Neural Network (DLNN), and SUS. Utilizing the SEM, it is found that understanding the COVID-19 vaccine, understanding the COVID-19 Delta variant, perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, performance expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, behavioral intention, actual use, and the system usability scale are major determinants of intent to utilize the application. Understanding of the COVID-19 Delta Variant was found to be the most important factor by DLNN, which is congruent with the results of SEM. The SUS score of the application is "D", which implies that the application has poor usability. It could be implicated that large concerns stem from the trust issues on privacy, data security, and overall consent in the information needed. This is one area that should be promoted. That is, how the data is stored and kept, utilized, and covered by the system, how the assurance could be provided among consumers, and how the government would manage the information obtained. Building the trust is crucial on the development and deployment of these types of technology. The results in this study can also suggest that individuals in the Philippines expected and were certain that vaccination would help them not contract the virus and thus not be vulnerable, leading to a positive actual use of the application. The current study considered encompassing health-related behaviors using the PMT, integrating with the technology acceptance model, UTAUT2; as well as usability perspective using the SUS. This study was the first one to evaluate and assess a contact tracing application in the Philippines, as well as integrate the frameworks to provide a holistic measurement.

Exact calculation of end-of-outbreak probabilities using contact tracing data.

A key challenge for public health policymakers is determining when an infectious disease outbreak has finished. Following a period without cases, an estimate of the probability that no further cases will occur in future (the end-of-outbreak probability) can be used to inform whether or not to declare an outbreak over. An existing quantitative approach (the Nishiura method), based on a branching process transmission model, allows the end-of-outbreak probability to be approximated from disease incidence time series, the offspring distribution and the serial interval distribution. Here, we show how the end-of-outbreak probability under the same transmission model can be calculated exactly if data describing who-infected-whom (the transmission tree) are also available (e.g. from contact tracing studies). In that scenario, our novel approach (the traced transmission method) is straightforward to use. We demonstrate this by applying the method to data from previous outbreaks of Ebola virus disease and Nipah virus infection. For both outbreaks, the traced transmission method would have determined that the outbreak was over earlier than the Nishiura method. This highlights that collection of contact tracing data and application of the traced transmission method may allow stringent control interventions to be relaxed quickly at the end of an outbreak, with only a limited risk of outbreak resurgence.

A Missed Opportunity? Making Sense of the Low Adoption Rate of COVID Alert, Canada’s Contact-Tracing Application

Background: This study reflects on the low adoption rate of COVID Alert, the Canadian contact-tracing application, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis: Using data from two representative surveys conducted in Canada in 2020, this article examines how the application’s attributes and citizens’ attitudes on the sanitary crisis and on technology may have influenced the low adoption rate of COVID Alert. Conclusions and implications: The results suggest that the application design was socially acceptable, that it was seen as useful, and that it was not perceived as risky or hard to use. Contrasting this evidence with the unpopularity of COVID Alert leads to the suggestion that the barrier to greater uptake may have partly come from the inability of its developers to effectively promote the application.

Predicting the use of a COVID-19 contact tracing application: A study across two points of measurements.

Contact tracing mobile applications (apps) were important in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Most previous studies predicting contact tracing app use were cross-sectional and not theory-based. This study aimed at contributing to a better understanding of app use intentions and app use by applying an extended version of the protection motivation theory across two measurement points while accounting for the development of the pandemic. A total of N= 1525 participants from Switzerland (Mage = 53.70, SD= 18.73; 47% female; n= 270 completed both assessments) reported on risk perceptions, response efficacy, self-efficacy, social norms, trust in government, trust in the healthcare system, active search of COVID-19-related information, intentions for and actual (self-reported) app use. Analyses included country-specific incidences and death toll. Increases in response-efficacy, self-efficacy, trust in government, and the active search of COVID-19-related information predicted increased app-use intentions. Increases in self-efficacy, intentions, and the active search of COVID-19-related information predicted increased self-reported app use. Risk perceptions, incidence, and death toll were unrelated to both outcomes. Across an aggravation of the pandemic situation, intentions for and app use were primarily related to response-efficacy, self-efficacy, trust in government, and the active search of COVID-19-related information.

Health Code as ‘access infrastructure’: Innovative practices and concerns of mediated governance

This study explores the Health Code (Chinese: 健康码), a digital contact tracing application used in Mainland China during the COVID-19 pandemic, and examines the process and impact of its entry into users’ lives and gradual infrastructuralisation within the field of internet infrastructure research. Results show that techno-nationalism was the basis for the inception, implementation, and development of the Health Code. Furthermore, the Health Code has gradually transformed from an early digital health credential into a type of ‘access infrastructure’ by linking physical, information, and communication infrastructure. As access infrastructure, the relationship between the Health Code and users was a tense one, with users actively engaging in ‘micro-help’ on social media platforms and performing ‘soft-resistance’ on psychological and operational levels. Concurrently, the Health Code was embedded into users’ usage habits and social culture, becoming a shared memory and potential digital infrastructure for the future.

Design of a Reminder and Recall System in a Contact Tracing Application to Support Coronavirus Booster Vaccination.

The rate of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) booster vaccination in Indonesia remains relatively low, representing 15.33% of the overall vaccination target as of April 2022. The implementation of a reminder and recall system has been shown to be effective in increasing vaccination rates. In prior research, reminders and recalls were sent through traditional media, such as mail, and had not yet been integrated into modern media, such as smartphone applications and (in particular) contact tracing applications. Therefore, the present study was conducted to design a reminder and recall system for the PeduliLindungi contact tracing application. We used the design science research (DSR) methodology with three iterations. The first iteration produced a low-fidelity prototype (or wireframe), and the next yielded a high-fidelity (clickable) prototype. The final prototype included three main features: a reminder and recall mechanism, online registration for COVID-19 booster vaccination, and educational articles. The evaluation consisted of interviews in the first iteration, interviews and the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire in the second, and the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ) in the third. The SUS value obtained in the second iteration was 71.6, indicating good (acceptable) results, while in the third iteration, the system usefulness, information quality, interface quality, and overall PSSUQ values were 2.456, 2.473, 2.230, and 2.397, respectively, indicating good quality of the resulting design. This research contributes to two areas: implementation of a reminder and recall system in the PeduliLindungi contact tracing application and enhancement of contact tracing applications using DSR methodology.

Kepastian Hukum Pemilik Data Pribadi Dalam Aplikasi Satu Sehat

PeduliLindung is a contact tracing application initiated by the Government of Indonesia with the aim of tracking the Covid-19 Virus. However, in its implementation, there have been many criticisms and protests from the public regarding the insecurity of personal data protection in the PeduliLindung application. Moreover, until now Indonesia does not yet have a Personal Data Protection Law. This journal discusses how legal protection is for people who use the PeduliLindung application, as well as a comparison of Indonesian laws with other countries that have previously used contact tracing applications and have regulations regarding personal data. The research method used is literature study by studying journals and related laws.

Using Rational Choice Theory to Explore Factors Impacting Contact Tracing Application Adoption

ABSTRACT Effective contact tracing is an important tool in trying to control the spread of highly infectious diseases. Utilizing the theory of reasoned action and rational choice theory, this study explores factors impacting the adoption of mobile contact tracing application. Findings indicate that perceived benefits of usage and perceived costs of non-usage positively impact an individual’s attitude toward usage intention, while information security concern as perceived cost of usage has a negative effect.

FCPP+Miosix: Scaling Aggregate Programming to Embedded Systems

As the density of nodes capable of sensing, computing and actuation increases, it becomes increasingly useful to model an entire network of physical devices as a single, continuous space-time computing machine. The emergent behaviour of the whole software system is then induced by local computations deployed within each node and by the dynamics of the information diffusion. A relevant example of this distribution model is given by <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">aggregate programming</i> and its minimal set of functional constructs used to manipulate distributed data structures evolving over space and time, and resulting in robustness to changes. In this paper, we propose the first implementation of the aggregate computing paradigm targeting microcontrollers, by integrating FCPP, a C++ implementation of the paradigm, with Miosix, a modern operating system for microcontrollers with full C++ support. To the best of the author's knowledge, we are the first to present results on the effectiveness of FCPP in an embedded operating system setting as opposed to a simulation environment, thus considering tight memory and computational constraints and accounting for packet losses due to nonidealities of the radio channel. We implemented and tested on a network of WandStem nodes two benchmark applications: a network connectivity checker for network planning and preventive maintenance, and a decentralised contact tracing application. Additionally, we show that common problems in sensor networks such as neighbour discovery, construction of a graph of the network topology, coarse grain clock synchronisation as well as network monitoring and the collection of statistics (such as memory occupation data) can be easily performed thanks to the expressive semantics of aggregate programming.

USER PERCEPTIONS OF THE QUALITY OF THE PEDULILINDUNGI APPLICATION BASED ON THE DIMENSIONS OF ELECTRONIC SERVICE QUALITY (E-SERVICE QUALITY) DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The use of a contact tracing application is one of the efforts made to overcome the global COVID-19 pandemic with an increasing number of cases. The contact tracing application used in Indonesia is PeduliLindungi which is one of the requirements for accessing public areas, which was initially applied to the Java-Bali region. However, in its use, there are still challenges that affect the quality of electronic services. This study aims to analyze user perceptions of the service quality of the PeduliLindungi application based on the E-Servqual dimension. The method used is observational with a quantitative approach using a cross-sectional design. The results showed that overall, the user's perception of the quality of the PeduliLindungi application was good with positive ratings on the service quality dimensions of the PeduliLindungi application. The dimensions that have a significant relationship to the user's perception of the quality of the PeduliLindungi (ESQ) application are the dimension of user experience (EXP) and user trust (TRU). The dimension of reliability (REL), responsiveness (RES), ease of use (EOU), privacy (PRI), system availability (SA), application design (WD), and information quality (IQ) do not have a significant relationship to user perceptions of the quality of the PeduliLindungi (ESQ) application. Suggestions that can be given are to improve and improve the system and technical functions and improve security for user data.

Acceptability and Effectiveness of COVID-19 Contact Tracing Applications: A Case Study in Saudi Arabia of the Tawakkalna Application.

Background Contact tracing applications were introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to mitigate the spread of the infection in several countries. In Saudi Arabia, the Tawakkalna application was developed. The Tawakkalna application is a mobile health solution aimed to track infection cases, save lives, and reduce the burden on health facilities. This study aims to explore the public's attitude to and acceptance levels of the Tawakkalna application and to evaluate its effectiveness regarding privacy and security. The main objective of this study is to investigate the user acceptability of contact tracing applications and explore the safety and privacy effectiveness of the COVID-19 contact tracing application, the Tawakkalna application. In addition, the study analyzes factors associated with acceptance levels and compares the results obtained to similar studies in other countries using similar applications. Methodology This study used a valid and reliable online survey that was used in similar studies conducted in other countries to assess the acceptability of the application. The survey was conducted from September to November 2021, and the final dataset included 205 participants. To investigate the privacy and security performance of the Tawakkalna application, we followed the investigation method used by similar research that investigated 28 contact tracing applications across Europe. Results Out of the 205 participants, 84.87% were in favor of the opt-in voluntary installation of the Tawakkalna application, and 49.75% of the participants were in favor of the opt-out automatic installation. Individuals' trust in the government had a huge impact on acceptance, with 60.98% of the participants supporting the application because they believed that the Tawakkalna application would help them stay healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, 49% of the participants supporting the application also agreed to the de-identification of their collected data and providing it for research. The Tawakkalna application ranked at the top compared to other contact tracing applications regarding privacy and security. Conclusions The Tawakkalna application developed by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority was a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is considered the biggest public health crisis in recent times. The Saudi Arabian government gained the population's acceptance through effective endorsement and the spread of educational content through media channels. By complying with privacy policies, the Tawakkalna application is an effective tool to combat public health infectious diseases.

Factors associated with acceptance of a digital contact tracing application for COVID-19 in the Japanese working-age population.

The working-age population is at the epicenter of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections. Therefore, it is important to increase the acceptance of digital contact tracing apps in this population. Contact-Confirming Application (COCOA) is the only digital contact tracing app in Japan. This study aimed to determine factors associated with acceptance of the COCOA for COVID-19 in the Japanese working-age population. A cross-sectional study was performed for 27,036 full-time workers registered with an internet survey company during December 2020 in Japan. Factors associated with COCOA adoption were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The rate of downloading the COCOA was 25.1%. The COCOA was more likely to be accepted by people with married status, university graduation or above, higher income, and occupations involving desk work. Fear of COVID-19 transmission, wearing a mask, using hand disinfection, willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and presence of an acquaintance infected with COVID-19 were also associated with a greater likelihood of adopting the app. The rate of downloading the COCOA in Japan was not very high. The present findings have important implications for widespread adoption of digital contact tracing apps in working-age populations in Japan and elsewhere.

One year of digital contact tracing: Who was more likely to install the NHS COVID-19 app? Results from a tracker survey in England and Wales

Objective To examine changes in the uptake of the National Health Service (NHS) COVID-19 proximity (contact) tracing application (‘app’) over one year, amongst smartphone users in England and Wales. Methods We conducted a longitudinal survey between October 2020 and September 2021, amongst an online panel representative of smartphone users aged 18–79 and a purposeful sample from six of the largest minority ethnic groups. We fitted pooled logistic regression models to examine factors associated with app installation and a longitudinal logistic regression model to estimate factors associated with installing/uninstalling the app over time. Results Around 50% of respondents had the app installed at each time point. The majority of installations took place soon after its launch. The key reason for installing at launch was ‘civic, public or social responsibility’. Amongst those who installed the app later, it was ‘needed to scan NHS QR code’. Uptake was higher amongst individuals who considered themselves vulnerable to COVID-19 or were concerned about the risk COVID-19 posed, were more highly educated, of White ethnicity, and who reported higher levels of trust in government information. Factors associated with installing the app over time included becoming more concerned about the risk COVID-19 poses to the country, or perceiving that the crisis in their local area had worsened. Conclusions Despite changes in pandemic response and case numbers, app installation in England and Wales remained relatively stable after launch. If governments wish to increase app installation and use rates in future pandemics, they need to highlight those app features that encourage engagement, and take related action to allay privacy concerns and improve trust in government information sharing.

The role of uncertainty and affect in decision-making on the adoption of AI-based contact-tracing technology during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study explores how negative affect, perceived net equity, and uncertainty influence the public's privacy decision-making regarding the adoption of contact-tracing technology based on artificial intelligence (AI) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Four hundred and eighteen adults in the US participated in the study via Amazon Mechanical Turk in August 2020. Statistical analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro. Indirect effects and their significance were estimated using bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals (CIs) with resampling set to n = 5000. Perceived net equity was positively associated with low levels of perceived uncertainty regarding a COVID-19 contact-tracing application and intention to adopt it. Low levels of perceived uncertainty were positively associated with intentions to adopt such an application, thereby suggesting that a perceived level of uncertainty mediates the association between perceived net equity and adoption intentions. Anxieties regarding AI technology and COVID-19 risks both moderate the associations among perceived net equity, perceived level of uncertainty, and intentions to adopt the contact-tracing technology. Our findings highlight how the differing sources of emotion influence the associations among rational judgment, perceptions, and decision-making about new contact-tracing technology. Overall, the results suggest that both rational judgments and affective reactions to risks are important influencers of individuals' perceptions and privacy-related decision-making regarding a new health technology during the pandemic.

Ethical preparedness in health research and care: the role of behavioural approaches

BackgroundPublic health scholars have long called for preparedness to help better negotiate ethical issues that emerge during public health emergencies. In this paper we argue that the concept of ethical preparedness has much to offer other areas of health beyond pandemic emergencies, particularly in areas where rapid technological developments have the potential to transform aspects of health research and care, as well as the relationship between them. We do this by viewing the ethical decision-making process as a behaviour, and conceptualising ethical preparedness as providing a health research/care setting that can facilitate the promotion of this behaviour. We draw on an implementation science and behaviour change model, COM-B, to demonstrate that to be ethically prepared requires having the capability (ability), opportunity, and motivation (willingness) to work in an ethically prepared way.MethodsWe use two case examples from our empirical research—one pandemic and one non-pandemic related—to illustrate how our conceptualisation of ethical preparedness can be applied in practice. The first case study was of the UK NHSX COVID-19 contact tracing application case study involved eight in-depth interviews with people involved with the development/governance of this application. The second case involved a complex case regarding familial communication discussed at the UK Genethics Forum. We used deductive qualitative analysis based on the COM-B model categories to analyse the transcripbed data from each case study.ResultsOur analysis highlighted that being ethically prepared needs to go beyond merely equipping health professionals with skills and knowledge, or providing research governance actors with ethical principles and/or frameworks. To allow or support these different actors to utilise their skills and knowledge (or principles and frameworks), a focus on the physical and social opportunity is important, as is a better understanding the role of motivation.ConclusionsTo understand ethical preparedness, we need to view the process of ethical decision-making as a behaviour. We have provided insight into the specific factors that are needed to promote this behaviour—using examples from both in the pandemic context as well as in areas of health research and medicine where there have been rapid technological developments. This offers a useful starting point for further conceptual work around the notion of being ethically prepared.

Stay Healthy: Slovenian users' Opinions about the Covid-19 Contact-Tracing Mobile Application

This paper aims to provide a systemic vision of the role and specifics of a Covid-19 contact-tracing mobile application, which can be presented as a data-driven mobile application for citizens in urban data management processes and is essential for a sustainable urban ecosystem to inform the user about contact with a potentially infected person. The study aims to reveal the behaviour of adults when using such an application. We also attempt to discover how the Covid 19 pandemic has changed communication and why users use mobile phones and their features, such as Bluetooth and GPS. The research focused on Slovenia and was conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic in April 2021. Five hundred adults were surveyed. The mixed-method survey investigates the determinants of adult citizens’ behaviour in the Republic of Slovenia concerning the #Ostanizdrav application from three perspectives (installed app, activated app, and app used to report infection). In addition, the study examines the barriers and levers to using a contact tracing application to combat the pandemic in Slovenia. The second part of the study involves developing a Deep Learning-based predictive model trained on the data collected due to the survey.&#x0D;

Query Response Time Comparison SQL and No SQL for Contact Tracing Application

During the current Covid-19 pandemic, it is necessary to have facilities to track community activities to make it easier to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic situation which is still a threat to the community. Contact tracing application (Contact Tracing) is one solution that can be used in this regard. By utilizing Contact Tracing, people's activities can be recorded when traveling to meet other people so that they can generate a history that can be used to track someone if one of them is infected with Covid-19. With this application, data storage (database) is very important because the application will generate and consume a lot of data. In this study, the researcher attempted to compare the query speed of the common data storage (database) that is usually used, namely Relational Database (MySQL) with Non-Relational Database (MongoDB). The results of the experiments conducted by the researchers resulted in the Non-Relational Database (MongoDB) suitable for use when the data has reached large amounts because the query speed is quite fast and stable. Meanwhile, Relational Database performance is still reliable when the data query needs are only on a small scale.

Effectiveness of Covid-19 contact tracing solutions

COVID 19 has become a global pandemic requiring public health officials to take many measures to contain its spread. Amongst the measures is tracing those who have been in contact with infected people i.e. contact tracing. This paper examines some digital contact tracing applications that were developed soon after the outbreak (in the year 2020) and how effective they have been. The paper highlights a study done on these applications which shows that there are some issues around the use of the applications which hinders their wider adoption by the public (adoption of these applications by the public is one of the surest ways of containing the spread of the pandemic). The paper goes on to examine an instance where one of the issues raised (security of Personally Identifiable Information, PII) is addressed in a proposed design solution. The paper concludes by suggesting what should be done by contact tracing application developers to ensure their products are more acceptable to consumers thereby leading to their wider adoption.