Digital tools for infectious disease treatment, control and management

background

This project will consider the ethics of using novel digital technologies and data streams for infectious disease surveillance, diagnosis, treatment and control. Example topics could include:

• Apps, wearable and personal health technologies for the diagnosis and prognosis of infections
• Geolocation and telecom data to identify relationships between movement and disease transmission
• Using routinely collected healthcare data or probabilistic models for disease surveillance
• Using social media to educate the public about treatments or public health interventions
• Virtual medical care online tools used to prioritize the treatment of patients based on the severity of their condition.

These new forms of disease surveillance, diagnosis, treatment and control combine information about people’s behaviour and lifestyle with more traditional clinical data. The project will explore how the intertwining of these different sources of data disrupt traditional doctor patient relationships, challenge privacy frameworks, change responsibility for health.  This project will seek to identify and explore the ethical questions that are crucial to address in order to justify a legitimate and ethical use of novel digital technologies and data sources in context. 

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE, RESEARCH METHODS AND TRAINING 

This project will involve empirical bioethics methods which combine philosophical and ethical analysis with empirical research. It will provide a range of training opportunities in empirical bioethics research methods, including literature review, conceptual ethical analysis, qualitative research, data analysis.

FIELD WORK, SECONDMENTS, INDUSTRY PLACEMENTS AND TRAINING

The project will require qualitative interviews with a diverse range of stakeholders in the UK.

PROSPECTIVE STUDENT

The ideal candidate will have a Masters degree in a relevant area (social/political sciences, bioethics or philosophy) wishing to develop expertise in the field of empirical bioethics with an interest in population science, technology, and health care.