The use of mobile technology to enhance CVD screening

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mobile-healthcare-app-271x300Recognizing those at risk for CVD is a primary prevention. I found a study that compared a the use of a non-laboratory, paper-based CVD risk assessment chart tool to a mobile phone CVD risk assessment application. The goal was to compare the time it would take to train community health workers, the duration of screening. The paper-based tool was created to avoid laboratory costs; the tool substitutes the body-mass-index for blood lipid level to calculate the CVD risks. This makes screening easier and the best part is that it is cost effective. The development of the mobile device was so it could automatically calculate CVD risks scores with less room for error due to manual calculations and so it could be directly carried into communities. This is an excellent resource that is being used in low-resource settings. The mobile device is also better than the paper-based tool because it can be used by those with a lower set of skills.
The use of the mobile device had some pros and cons. One positive outcome was that it took less time to train personnel in the use of the mobile device compared with the paper-based tool. The mobile device was faster at yielding results. Many of the health care workers felt that there was less room for error because they did not have to manually do calculations. Some cons were that in previous times the visual chart was being used to explain to clients what their results meant. Many also felt that having the detailed chart gave them a better understanding of calculating the risk but with the phone everything was basically done for them.
I really liked this article because it talked about how technology is being used in lower income settings were detecting those at risk for CVD is a high priority. This mobile device it taken into communities, which in my opinion is the way to go because some clients have difficulties with transportation. The device can then calculate the client’s CVD risk and they are then educated or referred to a health care provider. Having a tool that requires little training, has little room for error, and yields quicker results will enhance CVD screening. This is important because the more people that are being screened the more people we can prevent from developing CVD. A con that I would also have trouble with is the fact that the machine is doing everything and when compared to the paper-tool where the calculations were being done and understood by the workers I am not sure how well the workers would understand what the results actually mean when using this technology. The article mentioned that this is being done in South Africa but this would be nice to have in our communities where many are not screened for CVD as a result of more than one obstacle.

References

Surka, S., Edirippulige, S., Steyn, K., Gaziano, T., Puoane, T., & Levitt, N. (2014). Evaluating the use of mobile phone technology to enhance cardiovascular disease screening by community health workers. International Journal Of Medical Informatics, 83(9), 648-654. doi:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2014.06.008

Hello world!

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Ethics Statement

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A great set of ethics that I feel can be implemented just about anywhere are the six pillars of character. If you can demonstrate; trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship you will able to build a great community.

Statement of Ethics

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After having a discussion with a couple of my peers we agreed that it would be a nice touch to add the following quotes to any statement of ethics in the peer mentoring area.

  • “Treat others as you would like to be treated”
  • “Think before you act”
  • “Honesty is the best policy”

I think that, at times, quotes have a bigger resonance with people then a list of rules and complicated descriptions. Although such things are necessary to run an appropriate organization, little things like quotes can have more meaning and influence on individuals.

Oh Decisions Decisions

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In bulletin one it discusses a situation in which a student partakes in an activity that if caught would be considered a felony and how nothing bad has happened as a response to their action. As a peer educator is is important in this situation to report the incident due to the nature of it being an illegal action as mentioned in principal 10. Another way of dealing with the situation is asking the student to not only consider the consequences of their actions upon themselves, but how it may impact other students. It is important to remind the student that laws are their to protect not only our well being, but also the well being of others. Most of the possible consequences of this situation are the student reminding you to mind your own business or potentially even being threatened as you are trying to make the student confess to a felony they committed.

In bulletin three it discusses a situation in which you feel attraction toward a person who you have been tutoring and how you considering going to a third party to determine wether they were mutually interested. As a peer educator you must remember the concepts of principals seven and eight that deal with dealing with people you may have pleasant or unpleasant feelings about. While it would be pleasant to be able to work around this situation there is no real way to deal with this situation without informing the person and breaking some code of conduct. No real consequences exist from the solutions I proposed besides holding onto your feelings and not being able to express how you feel towards someone.

What Do I Do? What Do I Say?

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Real Life Ethics.

  • As a discussion leader of a group, you notice a student with whom you have had an unresolved conflict during the past year.  You have strong feelings and reactions to seeing this individual.
    • The principle most applicable to this situation is principle number 7. This principle states that one must “continue to deal appropriate(ly) when working with persons for whom you feel some aversion.” Personally, I would be as professional as possible in this situation. I would hide and mask my feelings and continue with my designated tasks. If, at the end, I still feel bothered by the situation, I would ask that individual if we could talk about this conflict in private. In this situation, I believe that principle 5 also comes into play. Principle 5 states that one must “show respect and dignity for other individuals.” Even though I have a conflict with this individual, it does not constitute my right to show him/her any less respect than anyone else who is in the room. If, our conflict can not be resolved after privately meeting, I would nonetheless continue to treat this person in a civil, respectable, and professional way.
  • You are interacting with a person who has a political or moral viewpoint that differs from yours. You find this viewpoint reprehensible, although it could be understood as acceptable based upon this student’s culture and value system. You want to argue a different point of view.
    • The principle most applicable to this situation is principle number 5: one must “show respect and dignity for other individuals.” I feel that this type of situation occurs quite often due to the fact that every person is different, causing everyone to have different ideals and political standings. One must learn to hear what people have to say and not become instantly aggravated when what they hear is not in line with their views. Everyone has the right to express what they believe. One must learn to retain their emotions and not argue with individuals. Here is where I believe principle 6 comes into play; one must “understand [their] own personal bias and avoid imposing this bias on others.” We all have our own way of thinking. It is not right of us to tell people that their beliefs are wrong, for what is right depends on the eyes of the beholder. When it comes down to it, people have to learn to respect others and their beliefs, regardless to whether they agree with them to not.

Ethics Statement

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When I worked with my peers we discussed this to be an accurate ethics statement:

Through professionalism we will construct a society that will nurtured and sustained by the responsibility of those who were chosen to enforce rules and facilitate in the case that new ones ned to be made.

What to do in a Risky Situation

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You are attracted to a person you have been interested in tutoring.

The principles I would apply to this situation would be Principles 3,5,7,8. I would apply these principles because they are about those you have attraction to and this scenario deals with that concept specifically.  While these situations are difficult to handle none can be dealt with the same. There is also no real way to handle the situation, I would handle it as an educator you have to put the other over yourself. If you jeopardize their chances you are doing no one a favor and have to let it slide. If you were to follow through the consequences would be a dismantling of that relationship.

 

As a discussion leader of a group, you noticed a student that you have an unresolved conflict during the past year. You have some strong feelings and reactions to seeing them

The principles I would use when confronting this situation would be Principles 12, 11, 9, 7, and 5. When dealing with this situation you need to realize that if people see you as a leader they may mimic you, destroying the reputation of the individual that you have conflict with. If the conflict is to great you may have to step down or ask to be put on a different project, because once you remove that tension the project will run much smother. When performing a follow up towards this kind of scenario you have to be gentle yet strait forward. Once the problem is acknowledged people are more likely to open up and discuss the results.

 

 

 

Ethics Statment

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I am lucky that in my current position as a student assistant, this is not the first time I am having a discussion on ethics in a peer mentor situation. During training this was something that we went over quite a bit. The definitions that were given to us are aspects that I agree with so much that I would put them into my own statement of ethics.

Integrity-Firm Adherence to a code, An unimpaired condition, the quality or state of being complete and undivided

Within that is broken down even more. It is at all times showing character, honesty, and making appropriate choices.  It is showing a  commitment to act in a socially responsible way, that takes in the feelings of others and how actions can have an impact on the greater whole.

To me acting ethically, especially in any kind of leadership role, is part of the CI way. Which is at times a seemingly ambiguous and amorphous statement. But if you go to CI you understand. Its almost just what you do. Its being integrity and excellence. Its doing your best to be your best.

AND all of those sound easy. Saying it is easy. Acting ethically is hard. It can be tough choices and working hard not to make dumb mistakes. Its not using power or accesses for personal gain. Which even in peer leadership positions is possible. People can tell you private things or you could have access to private data-grades or even financial records.  That kind of informational power could and some peoples cases does corrupt. And resources and time when I am at work belong to serving the students. Especially in a paid position like mine where my salary comes from student fees.

My statement of ethics is to follow what I was taught, from even when I what in elementary school character counts-Honesty, Respect, Fairness, Responsibility, Caring and using resources wisely. To what I have learned though trainings and experience (see above).

When to Speak and not to Speak-That is the Question

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Ethics-A trickier subject is difficult to find.  UNFORTUTELY, one reason ethics is so hard is that it is so important. As a leader or someone with authority ethics become even more exponentially critical. Leaders without ethics are how we get cults and genocide in my opinion. (Yes, that is an extreme but I am using it to illustrate a point).

Ethics take thought and practice, like many other things in life.  This is a good avenue for both.  I have chosen to scenarios out of the book Students Helping Students and then will discuss what I hope my response would be, (because practice like this helps you prepare for situations, but you can never really know until you are in them), and what ethical principles it touches on.

1

“you are talking with a student who describes having taken part in an activity that, if caught, would probably be a felony. This person says this rather casually and even asserts rather boldly that nothing of consequence ‘happened’”.

This relates to principle 10 to take responsible action if learning about an illegal behavior. I think I would report it to my supervisor first if it happened on a shift. If not I would talk with a the campus police, but ask that my supervisor support me when I do this. I could also do this though an anonymous tip. However I think that doing it directly or though the supervisor would be more responsible and fair. Especially if it was a felony, which may mean someone got hurt.  This could mean a loss of relationship with the individual, or even retaliatory harassment. And if a case was made out of my statement there would be legalities I would have to do. However I think that the risk should be worth it.

2

“As a discussion leader in a group, you notice a student with whom you have had un unresolved conflict during the past year. You have some strong feelings and reactions to seeing this individual.”

 

This deals with principle 7-continue to deal appropriately when working with someone you have some aversion for. And with Principle 9-managing your emotional response. I am not going to lie. This would be a difficult situation for me. However, what I think I would do is 2 parts. One I might have a conversation with that person just to say that while we have issues, lets do this project professionally and deal with our issues later. Or I might just treat him/her with professional detachment. Not mean or rude, but fair. Just try and act like they are just another person in the group. The fall out could come if the other person does not agree to be professional or if the other person starts something. If a conflict happens, I might have to step down from a leadership role.