Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SOS TIPS (Smart Online Searching To Increase Patient Safety)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-08-01 al 2024-07-31
The spread of misinformation has been attributed to an increasingly digitalized and fractionalized information landscape, which, coupled with relevance-based algorithms has spawned distinct ways of consuming information. Digital health literacy (ability to seek, understand, and appraise online health information, as well as implement it in daily life) is a crucial competence in navigating health-related information online.
The Action “Smart Online Searching to Improve Patient Safety” (SOS-TIPS) examined experts and novices in information retrieval to develop guidelines for “Smart Searches”: how to conduct well-rounded searches, judge the reliability of online content, warning signs of questionable trustworthiness, and practical techniques aiding informed decision-making.
During our initiative, we developed open-source software to process multiple quantitative and/or qualitative data streams in order to better understand online behavior. We synchronized human-computer interaction, stimulus data, and think-aloud data to more fully capture participant behavior during organic, health-related searches. Pitfalls and best practices extracted from such data can be employed to create digital interventions that increase digital health literacy (DHL) and scaffold critical thinking.
The Action “Smart Online Searching to Improve Patient Safety” (SOS-TIPS) examined experts and novices in information retrieval to develop guidelines for “Smart Searches”: how to conduct well-rounded searches, judge the reliability of online content, warning signs of questionable trustworthiness, and practical techniques aiding informed decision-making.
During our initiative, we developed open-source software to process multiple quantitative and/or qualitative data streams in order to better understand online behavior. We synchronized human-computer interaction, stimulus data, and think-aloud data to more fully capture participant behavior during organic, health-related searches. Pitfalls and best practices extracted from such data can be employed to create digital interventions that increase digital health literacy (DHL) and scaffold critical thinking.
The project was carried out in 7 work packages (WPs).
WP1 aimed to develop a methodological innovation, with which multimodal data from our empirical studies can be examined and modelled. We developed Qualitative/Unified Exploration of State Transitions (QUEST) and Anchor-based Stream Synchronization as a novel pieces of functionality within our R package {rock}, the Reproducible Open Coding Kit (ROCK). Apart from the open source code, WP1 yielded a paper and conference presentation on a systematic review concerning unified methods (quantifying qualitative data), as well as 2 conference presentations on QUEST itself. We have also published an article on how to use the ROCK to quantify and model qualitative data. Lastly, we held 3 workshops for employing the ROCK and QUEST, which were well-attended by participants from various countries.
WP2 encompassed deploying this novel tool in an empirical study aimed at understanding the online behavior of experts and novices in information retrieval and appraisal. Data collection took place in the US; analysis was performed in the Netherlands. Thus far, we have disseminated preliminary results in 2 conference presentations, a talk open to the general public, a publication in Open Research Europe, and a preprint submitted to the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
WP3 entailed deploying our novel piece of software and creating outputs for a variety of stakeholders, such as for people with low DHL and physicians wanting to inform their patients about “smart online searching”. Work centered around education regarding unified methods and QUEST actualized in 4 guest speaker appearances at universities and 2 workshops. Two analytically-oriented papers have been published and 2 conference presentations held, as well as a symposium. These have also been communicated to the public via a podcast conversation and a public talk. Additionally, WP3 involved working with individuals with low DHL to co-create an intervention aimed at increasing DHL and critical thinking. This work has begun with a Dutch Advisory Group (constituted by individuals with low health literacy); the foundations of this relationship are being laid at the moment.
WP4 encompasses the action: promoting Open Science (OS) and sustainability. I have held several workshops on OS and developed SQAFFOLD (Simple Qualitative Administration For File Organization and Licensing Development), infrastructure for conducting transparent qualitative and unified projects. I also created the material for a 1-hour and a 2-day SQAFFOLD workshop, which I have made public and reusable. I was co-founder of the Open Science Special Interest Group within the Quantitative Ethnography Society, and initiated a mentorship program called the QE Sandbox. Finally, ROCK co-developer and I won a YERUN Open Science Award. The MSCA action itself has been made fully open, and I have maintained a website, Git repository, and Open Science Framework project to increase transparency, accessibility, confirmability, and findability.
Several elements of WP5, dissemination and communication, have been disclosed above, namely conference presentations, publications, workshops, trainings, and public talks. Those not listed above are communications regarding the MSCA action: social media posts reaching 10-20 thousand people each, and 3 guest speaking opportunities at universities on the MSCA in general and its implementation. As a significant miscellanea, I co-edited a volume in Communications in Computer and Information Science (Springer) that contains papers from scholars using unified methods all around the world.
WP6, aimed at training, also encompasses the entire MSCA action. I received hands-on training in project management (transparent planning and implementation, ethical standards, coordinating the activities of large multidisciplinary teams), advanced R programming, and data wrangling. In terms of more formal training, I took part in a FAIR qualitative data practices training, and learned about performing outreach to the general public. Lastly, I attended a summer course on Intervention Mapping, the systematic approach to develop, implement, and evaluate behavior change interventions, which will aided in developing resources and outputs for WP3.
The last WP undergirds the MSCA action: project management. The basic management structure was established in the first week of the grant, and both supervisors (US, NL) had access to this infrastructure. I have also made a blog about completing the action, which is up-to-date on all project activities. I met with both outgoing and incoming phase supervisors regularly. To cover material expenses that could not be financed by the MSCA action, I managed to gain additional funding from University Fund Limburg / SWOL (NL).
The details of all activities and outputs reported above can be accessed at the project website.
WP1 aimed to develop a methodological innovation, with which multimodal data from our empirical studies can be examined and modelled. We developed Qualitative/Unified Exploration of State Transitions (QUEST) and Anchor-based Stream Synchronization as a novel pieces of functionality within our R package {rock}, the Reproducible Open Coding Kit (ROCK). Apart from the open source code, WP1 yielded a paper and conference presentation on a systematic review concerning unified methods (quantifying qualitative data), as well as 2 conference presentations on QUEST itself. We have also published an article on how to use the ROCK to quantify and model qualitative data. Lastly, we held 3 workshops for employing the ROCK and QUEST, which were well-attended by participants from various countries.
WP2 encompassed deploying this novel tool in an empirical study aimed at understanding the online behavior of experts and novices in information retrieval and appraisal. Data collection took place in the US; analysis was performed in the Netherlands. Thus far, we have disseminated preliminary results in 2 conference presentations, a talk open to the general public, a publication in Open Research Europe, and a preprint submitted to the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
WP3 entailed deploying our novel piece of software and creating outputs for a variety of stakeholders, such as for people with low DHL and physicians wanting to inform their patients about “smart online searching”. Work centered around education regarding unified methods and QUEST actualized in 4 guest speaker appearances at universities and 2 workshops. Two analytically-oriented papers have been published and 2 conference presentations held, as well as a symposium. These have also been communicated to the public via a podcast conversation and a public talk. Additionally, WP3 involved working with individuals with low DHL to co-create an intervention aimed at increasing DHL and critical thinking. This work has begun with a Dutch Advisory Group (constituted by individuals with low health literacy); the foundations of this relationship are being laid at the moment.
WP4 encompasses the action: promoting Open Science (OS) and sustainability. I have held several workshops on OS and developed SQAFFOLD (Simple Qualitative Administration For File Organization and Licensing Development), infrastructure for conducting transparent qualitative and unified projects. I also created the material for a 1-hour and a 2-day SQAFFOLD workshop, which I have made public and reusable. I was co-founder of the Open Science Special Interest Group within the Quantitative Ethnography Society, and initiated a mentorship program called the QE Sandbox. Finally, ROCK co-developer and I won a YERUN Open Science Award. The MSCA action itself has been made fully open, and I have maintained a website, Git repository, and Open Science Framework project to increase transparency, accessibility, confirmability, and findability.
Several elements of WP5, dissemination and communication, have been disclosed above, namely conference presentations, publications, workshops, trainings, and public talks. Those not listed above are communications regarding the MSCA action: social media posts reaching 10-20 thousand people each, and 3 guest speaking opportunities at universities on the MSCA in general and its implementation. As a significant miscellanea, I co-edited a volume in Communications in Computer and Information Science (Springer) that contains papers from scholars using unified methods all around the world.
WP6, aimed at training, also encompasses the entire MSCA action. I received hands-on training in project management (transparent planning and implementation, ethical standards, coordinating the activities of large multidisciplinary teams), advanced R programming, and data wrangling. In terms of more formal training, I took part in a FAIR qualitative data practices training, and learned about performing outreach to the general public. Lastly, I attended a summer course on Intervention Mapping, the systematic approach to develop, implement, and evaluate behavior change interventions, which will aided in developing resources and outputs for WP3.
The last WP undergirds the MSCA action: project management. The basic management structure was established in the first week of the grant, and both supervisors (US, NL) had access to this infrastructure. I have also made a blog about completing the action, which is up-to-date on all project activities. I met with both outgoing and incoming phase supervisors regularly. To cover material expenses that could not be financed by the MSCA action, I managed to gain additional funding from University Fund Limburg / SWOL (NL).
The details of all activities and outputs reported above can be accessed at the project website.
The two pieces of open-source software we developed are one of a kind, enabling on the one hand, the user to represent psychological (or other) states identified in qualitative data and model those in a quantified form, and on the other, to synchronize multiple data streams. We anticipate that this infrastructure will cater to thousands of researchers worldwide who work with qualitative data or multiple data streams.
Our latest submitted papers disclose methodological descriptions of how to employ our software and to conduct more well-rounded analyses of online information retrieval and appraisal.
The substantive outputs concerning "Smart searching" aid and will continue to cater to individuals with low Digital Health Literacy in closing the gap regarding such crucial digital skills, and increase patient safety via enabling more informed lay decision-making.
Gaining deeper insight into health-related information consumption is essential in ensuring health equity and patient safety in a digitalized world. Both the methodological and substantive aspects of our project aimed to contribute to this overarching goal.
Our latest submitted papers disclose methodological descriptions of how to employ our software and to conduct more well-rounded analyses of online information retrieval and appraisal.
The substantive outputs concerning "Smart searching" aid and will continue to cater to individuals with low Digital Health Literacy in closing the gap regarding such crucial digital skills, and increase patient safety via enabling more informed lay decision-making.
Gaining deeper insight into health-related information consumption is essential in ensuring health equity and patient safety in a digitalized world. Both the methodological and substantive aspects of our project aimed to contribute to this overarching goal.