Phone Text Research Articles

Harassment of low-income women on transit: A photovoice project in Oregon and Utah

• Past policies like redlining result in unsafe spaces today. • Truly safe spaces must account for experiences of low-income women of color. • Participants suggest societal and transit agency changes that improve safety. Scholarship on gendered mobilities has shown that women experience transit differently than men do, particularly regarding personal safety. Not enough studies have considered the everyday interaction of women of color with transit systems. This research employs a photovoice methodology which includes in-depth interviews and phone texting with 22 low-income women of color who ride transit at least a few times a month in Oregon and Utah. Like other gender mobility research, participants discussed sexual harassment on buses, streetcar, and light rail while walking or waiting for public transportation in either crowded areas downtown or desolated spaces outside of it. At the same time, this article makes a unique contribution to this body of literature because it shows that women feel targeted also based on their racial or ethnic identity and not only their gender. The article discusses women’s actions every day to increase their sense of safety.

617-P: Ten Years of the National Diabetes Prevention Program: Organizational Strategies to Adjust Program Delivery due to the COVID-Pandemic

The National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) is a nationwide delivery system for a lifestyle change program (LCP) proven to prevent or delay onset of type 2 diabetes. As a result of the COVID-public health emergency (PHE) declared in March 2020, in April 2021, the National DPP distributed a brief survey to approximately 2,000 CDC-recognized organizations to assess how they adjusted program delivery, including actions and strategies taken to navigate delivery during the PHE. 412 responses were received between April and June 2021. 148 paused delivery and 62 remained paused at the time of response. Of those that paused, 1 (74%) reported applying strategies such as phone calls, emails, and texts to keep in contact with participants. Of these, 64% reported they had resumed or restarted their cohorts at the time of response. When asked what influenced the decision to pause cohorts, 63% of organizations that normally deliver in-person, paused due to participant hesitancy toward use of or lack of access to technology. Of the 360 organizations that normally use in-person delivery, 260 reported switching to virtual delivery during the PHE. Of these, more than half reported difficulties in making that transition, mainly due to participant hesitancy to use or lack of access to technology. When asked if any support was provided to participants outside the scope of the LCP, 61% responded no. Of the 39% that did provide support, 84% of responding organizations indicated providing COVID-related support to participants; these were mainly organizations classified as Hospitals/Healthcare Systems/Medical Groups/Physician Practices. Many CDC-recognized organizations may have paused delivery at some point during the PHE, but based on these survey results, plans for future delivery remains strong. With the help of technology and strategies employed, 225 of the 412 organizations that responded indicated they would be starting new cohorts during the PHE. Disclosure M.Bell: n/a. E.Ely: None.

Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and self-reported barriers to eye care among patients with diabetes in the emergency department: the diabetic retinopathy screening in the emergency department (DRS-ED) study

BackgroundScreening for diabetic retinopathy (DR) is suboptimal, and patients with diabetes who present to the emergency department (ED) may be at particularly high risk of undiagnosed DR. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of DR among diabetic patients who present to the ED of our tertiary medical center using teleophthalmology and to assess self-reported barriers to eye care.MethodsThis cross-sectional, single-institution study recruited clinically stable diabetic patients who presented to the ED during daytime hours over 29 total weekdays across 2 months in 2018 and 2019. Participants had nonmydriatic, 45-degree, single-field digital retinal photographs taken on site (Digital Retinal System, Centervue). Following retinal imaging, participants then completed a survey about barriers to regular eye care and their acceptance of potential interventions to promote screening. Digital retinal photographs were interpreted remotely by a board-certified ophthalmologist and communicated to participants’ primary care physician and/or endocrinologist.ResultsOver the study period, 275 ED patients had a documented diagnosis of diabetes, of whom 167 were deemed clinically stable for the study and 141 were invited to participate. Sixty-four were enrolled, of whom 50 had gradable-quality fundus images (78%). Of these 50 patients, almost all had type 2 diabetes (47, 94%), with an average disease duration of 12 ± 9 years and mean hemoglobin A1c of 8.1 ± 2.0% (mmol/mol). Based on fundus photography, 14 patients (28%) were diagnosed with DR, which was newly diagnosed for 10 (20% of the total study population). Severity was most commonly mild or moderate (12/14, 86%), with 1 case of severe nonproliferative DR and 1 proliferative DR. The majority (26, 52%) reported at least one barrier to routine eye care in our self-administered survey, of which having too many appointments (6, 12%) and cost (5, 10%) were frequently cited as most important. The majority were receptive to interventions to promote DR screening, including reminder phone calls (29, 58%) and text messages (28, 56%).ConclusionsDigital fundus photography in the ED detected a high rate of undiagnosed DR. Half of participants reported barriers to routine care, and most were receptive to messaging interventions to schedule an eye exam. Future studies are warranted to assess scalability of ED-based screening programs and their follow-through rates.

Evidence of the persistence and consistency of social signatures

Human social networks are composed of multiple dynamic and overlapping communication networks, in which membership changes over time. However, less well understood are whether and how our communication patterns are similar or different over time and across various modes of communication. Here, we use data on the frequency of phone calls, text messages, and in-person interactions to examine the social signatures of more than 700 students in a university setting. Our analysis shows that although there is substantial turnover in participants’ networks, participants’ social signatures are persistent across time and consistent across communication modes. Further, we find that communication networks that are mediated via phone calls or text messages are more stable than are in-person networks. Our results show that, likely due to limitations in cognitive and emotional resources, people maintain networks of relatively stable size and structure their communication within those networks in predictable patterns. Our findings may help with formalizing social network theories, explaining individual-level attitudes and behaviors and aggregate-level social phenomena, and making predictions and detecting abnormalities in applied fields.

Stalking among University Students: Prevalence, Victimization and Consequences

This study investigates stalking behavior campaigns between male and female university undergraduate students of Rawalpindi/Islamabad. The study also finds out the consequences of stalking behaviors of experienced male and female university students. A sample of 591 male and female undergraduate students of three public sectors universities was drawn through simple random sampling techniques. The 302 students out of 591 experienced stalking behaviors and results of victimization and its consequences were presented on a sample of 302 students, out of which 194 were female and 108 male students. The results reveal that 51% of students out of which 33% are female and 18% male experience stalking and 60% female and 19% male students report their relationship with the offender as ex-boy/girlfriend while 16% of male students mentioned their relationship with the offender as strangers. The study further shows significant results on stalking behavior campaigns as unwanted approaches like following, staring, hanging outside the department, library, cafeteria, as well as unwanted communication like phone calls, text messages, and contact through social media. Furthermore, the study shows significant results of stalking effects on female students’ victims. Keywords: Stalking, Prevalence, Victimization, Consequences, Students.

Perceived safety and trust in SAE Level 2 partially automated cars: Results from an online questionnaire.

The present online study surveyed drivers of SAE Level 2 partially automated cars on automation use and attitudes towards automation. Respondents reported high levels of trust in their partially automated cars to maintain speed and distance to the car ahead (M = 4.41), and to feel safe most of the time (M = 4.22) on a scale from 1 to 5. Respondents indicated to always know when the car is in partially automated driving mode (M = 4.42), and to monitor the performance of their car most of the time (M = 4.34). A low rating was obtained for engaging in other activities while driving the partially automated car (M = 2.27). Partial automation did, however, increase reported engagement in secondary tasks that are already performed during manual driving (i.e., the proportion of respondents reporting to observe the landscape, use the phone for texting, navigation, music selection and calls, and eat during partially automated driving was higher in comparison to manual driving). Unsafe behaviour was rare with 1% of respondents indicating to rarely monitor the road, and another 1% to sleep during partially automated driving. Structural equation modeling revealed a strong, positive relationship between perceived safety and trust (β = 0.69, p = 0.001). Performance expectancy had the strongest effects on automation use, followed by driver engagement, trust, and non-driving related task engagement. Perceived safety interacted with automation use through trust. We recommend future research to evaluate the development of perceived safety and trust in time, and revisit the influence of driver engagement and non-driving related task engagement, which emerged as new constructs related to trust in partial automation.

Native American Elders’ Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Case Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected community-dwelling elder adults’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. We report 4 case studies of Native American elders’ pandemic experience. Participants were recruited from community-dwelling older adults in Central Texas. Data collection took place via in-depth, semi-structured telephone interviews during June-August 2020. Four of the participants self-identified as Native American. Three of them were male; between the ages of 74 and 75; had at least some college education. The fourth Native American elder was a 68 year-old female with some college education. All four participants were coping well with everyday life during the pandemic. Connectedness emerged as the overarching theme among the 4 cases. Regular communication with their families was expressed as most important. A variety of communication technology was used to maintain contact with family members such as phone calls, texting, email, and video chat services particularly Zoom, FaceTime, and Facebook Video Chat. Challenges with using these technologies were also frequently reported. The participants expressed they did not feel a sense of increased loneliness or loss of being connected. Another theme emerged related to surviving the impact of the pandemic. Having the vaccine accessible along with financial resources necessary to sustain essential needs were most frequently expressed by the participants. These findings have implications for community interventions and policies that support the provision of mechanisms for Native American elders to maintain a sense of connectedness, including the adoption and use of communication technology, during times of crises such as pandemics and natural disasters.

The Impact of Cell Phone Functions on the Intensity and Liking of Bike Exercise

This study assessed the effect of cell phone use (e.g., texting, talking, and listening to music) during 30-minute bouts of bike exercise and its affects on intensity (e.g., heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion) and liking (e.g., enjoyment). Thirty college-age students participated in four, separate, 30-minute exercise conditions (texting, talking, music, and control) on a bike in a randomized order. Heart rate was significantly (t  4.54, p  0.004) higher when comparing the music (147.58  4.19 beatsmin-1 ) to the texting (117.79  3.42 beatsmin-1 ) and talking (122.89  3.89 beatsmin-1 ) conditions. Ratings of perceived exertion was significantly (t = 2.1, p = 0.05) higher when comparing the texting (11.4  0.45) to the control (10.06  0.52) condition. Liking was significantly (t = 3.85, p = 0.01) higher when comparing the talking (7.64  0.63) to the control (6.2  0.71) condition. Liking was also significantly (t = 3.09, p = 0.01) higher when comparing the music (8.27  0.38) to the control condition. In conclusion, using your cell phone for texting and talking instead of listening to music can interfere with bike exercise, resulting in reduced exercise intensity and enjoyment, and perceiving exercise to be more difficult than what it really is.

Feasibility of digital life coaching during stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma.

e24103 Background: Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) experience acute quality of life (QOL) exacerbations following autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) that can lead to long-term complications. Life coaching can improve QOL in a structured & personalized manner. We investigated the feasibility of a digital life coaching (DLC) platform, where coaching is accomplished through phone calls and text messages, for patients with MM during ASCT. Methods: Our pilot study (clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT04432818) enrolled adult patients with MM, English proficiency, and cellphone ownership (smartphone not required). The 16-week DLC program, beginning at Day -5 before ASCT, included unlimited digital access to a certified life coach to help with identifying and accomplishing wellness-related goals. Our primary outcome was ongoing DLC engagement (≥ 1 bidirectional conversation every 4 weeks). Secondary outcomes were ePRO assessments of QOL (PROMIS Global Health), insomnia (PROMIS Sleep Disturbances), and distress (NCCN DT). Electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) assessments were delivered via automated REDCap emails every 1-2 weeks. Results: Of 18 screened patients, 15 (83%) enrolled in our study; 2 patients dropped out before initiating DLC (including 1 who was unable to connect with her coach between Day -5 and 0). Of 13 remaining patients, median age was 65 (range 50-81) and 23% had an ECOG performance status of 1 (remainder 0). DLC conversations occurred a mean of every 7.6 days (range 3-28) overall and every 6.5 days (range 2.8-14) during the initial 28-day period including high-dose melphalan and hospitalization. 80% of patients maintained ≥ 1 conversation every 4 weeks. Selected ePRO results (mean ± standard error) are shown in the table. Conclusions: Certain MM patients are able to engage digitally with a life coach and complete email-based ePRO assessments during and after ASCT. Limitations of our study include selection bias and the Day -5 start date, which may be too late logistically and symptom-wise (given our ePRO findings suggestive of peak distress pre-ASCT). DLC may play an innovative and scalable role given the emphasis on remotely delivered care during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Phase II randomized study of DLC versus usual care is under way (clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT04589286). Clinical trial information: NCT04432818. [Table: see text]

Communication With Patients Before an Operation: Their Preferences on Method of Communication.

BackgroundWith the constantly evolving communication technologies, it is essential for all healthcare professionals to try utilising various methods in communicating with patients. This will lead to better healthcare outcomes and patient satisfaction.ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to compare a patient’s preference to various communication methods regarding their appointments and to evaluate if we’re giving our patients an appropriate notice period prior to their operation.MethodsA questionnaire was given to 111 patients who underwent elective orthopaedic procedures.ResultsFactors like age and gender affect the choice of communication method. Traditional letters still have a role for an older population aged 65 and over. However, younger patients showed higher preference for other communication methods such as phone calls, texts, and e-mails. Gender also had a role in choosing a preference where male patients chose a range of options whilst female patients preferred phone calls. Most patients stated they received an appropriate notice period, with 88% of patients stating they would like to be notified one-two weeks prior to their operation.ConclusionMore research needs to be conducted into using text messages and e-mails in communicating with elective surgical patients, in addition to implementing newer technologies like mobile phone applications and secure online messaging portals, as this has the potential to reshape the communication process with our patients and lead to better health outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Evaluation of Clinical No-Show Rates in the Setting of an Outpatient Internal Medicine Residency Clinic

A no-show appointment is clinically defined as a scheduled appointment in which a patient fails to attend without prior notification to the provider or staff. In primary care clinics, no-show rates have been shown to range from 15% to 30%. Smaller studies have shown that interventions including phone calls, emails or text message reminders can reduce no-show rates.1–9 Our retrospective review sought to evaluate a similar intervention performed at the Multispecialty Residency Clinic (MSC). A test of two proportions was performed to evaluate the effect of a 24-hour reminder phone call. The no-show rate before initiating a 24-hour phone call was 17.8%, and following the intervention this rate improved to 16%, an observed reduction of 1.9% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) from 0.1% to 3%, p = 0.003. New patient encounters, established patient visits and cancellations were analyzed as secondary endpoints to further evaluate the effects of a reminder phone call. Our retrospective analysis is the largest to date regarding the effectiveness of utilizing phone call reminders to reduce no-show rates in the setting of a residency clinic and has confirmed a significant 2% reduction in no-show appointments.

Augmented-Reality-Based 3D Emotional Messenger for Dynamic User Communication with Smart Devices

With the development of Internet technologies, chat environments have migrated from PCs to mobile devices. Conversations have moved from phone calls and text messages to mobile messaging services or “messengers,” which has led to a significant surge in the use of mobile messengers such as Line and WhatsApp. However, because these messengers mainly use text as the communication medium, they have the inherent disadvantage of not effectively representing the user’s nonverbal expressions. In this context, we propose a new emotional communication messenger that improves upon the limitations of existing static expressions in current messenger applications. We develop a chat messenger based on augmented reality (AR) technology using smartglasses, which are a type of a wearable device. To this end, we select a server model that is suitable for AR, and we apply an effective emotional expression method based on 16 different basic emotions classified as per Russell’s model. In our app, these emotions can be expressed via emojis, animations, particle effects, and sound clips. Finally, we verify the efficacy of our messenger by conducting a user study to compare it with current 2D-based messenger services. Our messenger service can serve as a prototype for future AR-based messenger apps.

Engaging the disengaged: Examining the domestication of mobile telephony among older adults in Trans-Nzoia and Bungoma Counties in Western Kenya

The world is growing older. Considering the increasing number of older adults, it is imperative to consider how technology design can meet the needs and wants of these important user groups. Mobile phones offer great potential in improving quality of life for older adults in areas of, healthcare, independent living, communication and reduced isolation. There have been numerous studies on technology design for older adults (Fisk, Rogers, Charness, Czaja, & Sharit, 2004), but much of the work has focused on indoor and stationary applications such as desktop computers (Zajicek & Brewster, 2004). Although older people need support beyond stationary situations inside and outside their homes (Goodman, Brewster, & Gray, 2004), limited number of mobile functions are used by older adults due to high cost associated with mobile phones (Lee: 2007). Conversely, Nimrod (2015), argues older people use mobile phones extensively but little is known about relevant domestication processes involved and the extent to which older adults adopt and use mobile phones. This study interviewed 40 older retired civil servants aged 60 years and above in Western Kenya. Using domestication theory, this study examined the appropriation (Possession and ownership), Objectification (meaning and symbols), incorporation of mobile phones in older people’s everyday life and conversion (unintended uses) process of the domestication of mobile technology by the said group. Findings showed that mobile phones both enhanced closeness with their children and isolated them from them too. Majority felt mobile phones had become their ‘extended family members’ bringing the news of the world to them via mobile phone calls and texts. However, the small font size of texts and the fact that phones were getting smaller in size made it difficult to use. Their favourite mobile phone application was the mobile money locally dubbed Mpesa as they could now receive cash transfers from the government.
 Key words: older adults, mpesa, isolation, connection, e-inclusion, domestication, Kenya

SOCIAL NETWORK SIZE AND FREQUENCY OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION: THE RELATIONSHIP TO INTERPERSONAL STRESS

Social relationships are beneficial for psychological wellbeing, but they are also associated with interpersonal stress. With the growing usage of multiple forms of electronic communications (EC) including phone calls, text messages, video chat, and internet among adults of all ages, it was of interest to explore the relationship between social network size (SNS), in-person communication (PC), and EC, and whether the relationship between SNS and frequency of communication is associated with interpersonal stress. A daily diary study was conducted over seven days for 142 participants ages 22 to 94. SNS was assessed with the social convoy model. Frequency of PC and EC, along with interpersonal stress, were assessed daily. As expected, multiple regression analysis results showed that older adults had smaller SNS and less frequent technology communication (text messages, video chat, internet) compared to younger adults. With regard to effects on interpersonal stress, there were no main effects for frequency of PC, EC, or SNS. However, the frequency of EC moderated the relationship between SNS and interpersonal stress, controlling for amount of PC. Among those with a smaller SNS, having more frequent EC was associated with less interpersonal stress compared to those with less frequent EC. For those with a larger SNS, having more frequent EC was associated with more interpersonal stress compared to those with less EC, but PC was not related to interpersonal stress. The discussion will consider implications of the findings for developing interventions to minimize stress from interpersonal communications, especially those that involve EC.

BUYING BEHAVIOR OF ‘GEN Y’ TOWARDS SMARTPHONE OF ANDROID

Every generation has its own Characteristics. They have been affected by the changes of world and vice versa they changed the world. Soon a new generation will rule the world and marketers have to prepare for it. Smartphone of Android is a mobile device which is more than merely make and receives phone calls, text messages, video calls and voice mail etc.,. The basic feature of Smartphone is able to access the internet. It can also access digital media such as picture, photos, music and videos etc. The expansion of Android mobile communication technology e.g. wireless internet, mobile phone and Global Positioning System (GPS) are constantly evolving and upgrading as a result of Gen Y changing needs and preferences. Thus the main purpose of this paper is to investigate the buying behaviour of “Gen y’ towards Android mobiles in Thiruchirappalli. The data are collected through questionnaire and the sampling technique is convenient sampling technique. For statistical analyses, SPSS used and Statistical tools like percentage analysis, ANOVA, Correlation, Chi-square and‘t’ test applied. The findings were based on the Research hypothesis, demographic profile and various dimensions of buying behaviour of ‘Gen Y’ towards Smartphone of Android. Suggestions and Conclusion are based on these findings. This paper is important for the marketers to understand the buying behaviour of ‘Gen Y’ towards Smartphone of Android and their purchase decision to more competitive.

Addressing preconception behaviour change through mobile phone apps: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundMany of the adverse outcomes experienced by mothers and babies are directly related to the health of the woman prior to pregnancy. This preconception period is a unique window of opportunity when women are often more motivated to optimise health and change their lifestyle in preparation for pregnancy. Several risk factors in the preconception period can contribute to adverse perinatal outcomes. These risk factors can be divided into three broad areas: biomedical, social and environmental. Mobile phone applications as a behaviour change intervention have the potential to address these risks through supporting the provision of information, healthier lifestyles and informed decision-making. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of mobile phone applications in promoting behaviour change and improving long-term outcomes for mother and babies, in women of reproductive age.MethodsThis review will include trials that assess any mobile phone application (app) that assist women of reproductive age to optimise health behaviours. Randomised controlled trials, quasi-randomised controlled trials and cluster-randomised trials will be included. The search strategy will use both MeSH and keyword combinations to search databases including the WHO Global Health Library, CINHAL, The Cochrane Library, Embase and MEDLINE for relevant studies. Retrieved citations will be screened independently by two authors to assess eligibility. Studies will be selected only if the intervention was commenced prior to pregnancy. Comparisons will be made including mobile phone applications versus text messaging-based communications or paper-based, face-to-face or telephone conversations and standard care or no specific intervention. The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions will be utilised to assess the quality of included randomised studies. Primary and secondary outcomes will be compared and analysed. Results of the review will be reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines.DiscussionThis systematic review is the first to assess the effects of preconception mobile phone app behaviour change and educational interventions in improving future pregnancy and maternal and child outcomes, in women of reproductive age.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO 2017:CRD42017065903.

Cervical Cancer Screening, Adherence to and Challenges of Follow-Up in Resources Poor Setting

Background: Organized cervical cancer screening program has contributed to the reduction in incidence of cervical cancer in developed countries. Follow up, to ensure adherence to regular screenings, still poses challenges in poor resource settings. Objective: This study aims at determining the cervical cancer screening uptake, adherence to follow up instructions and interval cervical cancer screening and intervention to improve adherence through personalized reminders (phone calls and text messages). Methods: This was a prospective study of clients screened for cervical cancer at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu from January 2012 to December 2016. The participants were studied for adherence to interval follow-up screening. Eligible participants were followed up using phone calls and text messages and the outcome noted. The data was analysed using statistical software for social sciences (SPSS) version 17. Results: The mean age and parity of 1146 participants screened for cervical intra-epithelial abnormalities within the study period was 44.18 ± 11.08 years and 3.78 ± 2.08 respectively. Most of the subjects (91.8%) screened negative to squamous intra-epithelial lesion (SIL) or malignancy, 8.2% (94/1146) had various grades of SIL. Thirty-five (37%), 29 (31%), 16 (17%) and 14 (15%) of the 94 SIL positive cases had atypical cells of unknown significance (ASCUS), low-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion (LGSIL), high-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion (HGSIL) and cervical carcinoma respectively. Adherence to instructions for repeat cytology was only 37.7% while that for 3 yearly interval rescreening was 17.5%. Phone calls and messages to clients improved adherence to appreciable extent. Conclusion: Adherence to interval and follow-up screening for cervical cancer was low. The use of phone calls and short message services (SMS) to remind clients of screening appointments increased adherence and should be employed in developing countries.

Robust and Accurate Smartphone-Based Step Counting for Indoor Localization

Robust and accurate step counting is important for indoor localization algorithms that rely on smartphone inertial sensors. Existing solutions for step counting do not consider users’ false walking state (e.g., when a user in still state uses her phone for texting, playing games, and watching movies), which results in the over-counting problem. In this paper, we propose a robust and accurate step counting algorithm to solve the overcounting problem caused by false walking. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the commonly-used peak detection-based method and can improve the step counting accuracy by 6.56% for normal walking case, 9.54% for free walking case, and by 58.92% for false walking case, which is a significant improvement in the accuracy and robustness. We also compare the proposed method with popular commercial step counting applications including S Health, i-Health, and Pedometer++, which shows that our method can achieve better accuracy.

Out-of-Hospital screening for HIV, HBV, HCV and Syphilis in a vulnerable population, a public health challenge

ABSTRACTWe explored rates of Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis C virus and Syphilis in a vulnerable population (mostly intravenous drug users, sex workers and homeless people) and focused on factors associated with failure to return for results (FTR) and with having a false perception (FP) of Immunization against HBV. We performed a prospective multicenter observational study in nine mobile (Out-of-Hospital) areas of screening located in Paris from 1 January 2014 through 31 December 2014. A total of 341 patients were recruited. The proportion of FTR for results was 38.75%. In multivariate analysis, unemployment was significantly associated with FTR (OR = 4.29; IC = [1.12; 16.39]), as well as having been screened in the past (OR = 4.32, IC = [1.70; 10.97]); 18.03% of patients had a FP of an Immunization against HBV. In multivariate analysis, having one’s own place of residence protected against FP (OR = 0.33, [0.12; 0.95]), while being screened in the past enhanced the risk of FP (OR = 3.28, IC = [1.06; 10.11]). The rate of FTR is a problem and use of currently available technologies, such as phone texting, might be a partial solution in conjunction with rapid tests for diagnosis. In addition, more information and comprehension of the results should be provided together with specific anti-HBV vaccination campaigns targeting these specific populations.

Regulation of Social Media Interface

The advent of information – communication – technology (ICT) brought the invention of new technologies that made available platforms enabling people to communicate and share information in real-time between cities, countries, and even continents. What used to be “a static pool of information to be called up by people who use it has evolved more specifically into a bi-directional communication tool in which creativity and opportunities are limitless. This trend is spearheaded by a young, trained, and innovative generation who are no longer content to communicate through e-mails and phone text, but view the internet as part of their everyday life, no longer a high-end technology”. The platform referred to is the Social Media. The social media can be defined as “a set of online technologies sites and practices which are used to share opinions, experiences, and perspective”. As a result of the rampant abuse of the social media, there have been calls by individuals and government personalities for the regulation of the platform. These calls in turn have resulted in vehement and vocal disapproval by social media users who feel that their right to freedom of expression is sought to be tightened by the government. The paper employing to a large extent, secondary sources seeks to address the issue of social media regulation, answering the following questions: what type of regulation is required? Can the social media be regulated? What are the implications of such regulation? And is regulation necessary? The paper amongst others found that there was no consensus as to what should be defined as regulation; that establishments and multi-corporations have decided not to leave the matter of social media regulation to fate but to self-implement what is known as the Social Media Policy amongst its employees. The paper recommends that Nigeria could borrow a leaf from the EU and perhaps adopt the EU Data Protection Regulation to regulate social media in Nigeria.