The role of digital health technologies in COVID-19 surveillance and recovery: a specific case of long haulers, 2021, Southwick et al

Abstract

Digital health and technologies are essential to curbing the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic especially with shelter-in-place and social distancing orders. Epidemiologists and public health officials are tapping into frequently used technologies like wearables, digital devices,
digital and social media data to detect and validate COVID-19 symptoms throughout the pandemic, especially during early stages when symptoms were evolving. In this article, we review how digital technologies and social media platforms can identify and inform our understanding of COVID-19 pandemic surveillance and recovery efforts. We analyze Reddit narrative posts and comments on r/covidlonghaulers to demonstrate how social media can be used to better understand COVID-19 pandemic. Using Reddit data, we highlight long haulers' patient journeys and shed light on potential consequences of their condition. We identified 21 themes, of which the following were significantly associated with valence: COVID-19 Symptoms (r = −0.037), medical advice (r = −0.030), medical system (r = −0.029), bodily processes (r = −0.020), questions (r = 0.024), physical activity (r = 0.033), self-differentials and negations (r = 0.040) and supplements (r = 0.025). Our brief literature review and analysis of r/covidlonghaulers narrative posts demonstrate the value of digital technologies and social media platforms as they act as modern avenues for public health, safety, and well-being.

Ironically paywalled, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09540261.2020.1854195

 

I learned more reading this sub than everything else combined elsewhere, including all published research other than the patient-led studies, the rest is frankly still far behind the curve. Raw testimonies are vitally important in research, although I'm not sure it would have made as much sense without my personal experience. As early as last May, maybe even April, it was obvious to me where things were headed.

It's about finding patterns in a probabilistic problem, relationships are not linear. It requires a shift in thinking as dramatic as physics underwent in discovering quantum physics. This shift in thinking has not even begun yet, sadly.