The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) is working on a publication that will explore the potential of digital health solutions in the context of climate change. To speed up this process, WHO/Europe has partnered with Cochrane Crowd to catalogue relevant research. This citizen science initiative, which is open to everyone, invites volunteers to review and identify key studies to help WHO/Europe explore the impact of digital solutions on climate-related health issues.
“Conducting horizon scanning and identifying promising digital health solutions that can help shape public health is a key priority for WHO/Europe. This work will not only benefit healthcare in the digital age but also promote preparedness for the climate crisis,” said Dr David Novillo Ortiz, Regional Advisor on Data and Digital Health, WHO/Europe.
Emerging challenges: digital health technologies and climate change
Cochrane Crowd is calling for participation in a special task requested by WHO/Europe to identify key digital health technologies that can be used to manage or mitigate climate change-related health problems and reduce the carbon footprint of the healthcare sector. There are over 18,000 search results to evaluate and we need your help.
Digital health technologies leverage information and communication technologies to improve human health, healthcare services and wellness. Examples include mobile apps, virtual medical appointments, fitness trackers, virtual reality training for medical procedures etc. Many more examples are provided in specialized training modules.
A global community of volunteers
Cochrane Crowd is a global community of volunteers dedicated to classifying the research needed to make informed decisions in health care. Volunteers identify and classify health research studies by reviewing research study descriptions. These efforts help Cochrane reviewers and other health researchers around the world find high-quality evidence about treatments and interventions.
Anna Noelle Stoll, Cochrane Cloud Platform Manager, said: “Cochrane has had a formal relationship with WHO since 2011, and this work is particularly exciting for the Cochrane Cloud team as it is the first Cloud task we have undertaken in partnership with WHO. We hope this is the first of many more to come, as we are sure our amazing Cloud community will welcome the opportunity to directly contribute to global health research and make a meaningful impact on climate change.”
Contributing to Cochrane Crowd is free and no experience in medical research is required. By participating, volunteers can gain evidence appraisal skills, stay up to date on the latest research, and contribute to the global health community. Online training is offered and all contributions are welcome, from a few minutes a day to focused hours.
Joining Cochrane Crowd has many benefits, including the chance to be featured in WHO reviews and gain membership to Cochrane. Volunteers can also improve their skills through training and review past decisions to improve accuracy.
“The collaboration between WHO and Cochrane Crowd is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the climate change fight. By identifying the most effective digital health solutions, we can advance research and help people protect their health,” said Dr Israel Júnior Borges do Nascimento, Consultant at WHO and lead author.
The task will run throughout July 2024. To take part, go to Cochrane Crowd and log in or sign up. Once logged in,[タスク]Click on the panel and you will see a task called “Digital Health Technologies and Climate Change.”
