Why Language Matters in Obesity
Weight bias is a real phenomenon, and research demonstrates it can impact employment status, financial status, and even more concerning access to health care. If people with obesity have experienced…
Addressing Youth Mental Health with Digital Tools- Some Considerations
Estimates suggest 1.1 billion people worldwide suffer from mental health disorders. Depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and substance use are the leading causes of disability amongst working-age adults. Many of these disorders…
Facebook Moving Into Prevention Space
This week, Facebook announced it was making moves into the healthcare space - specifically regarding prevention. If you think about it, Facebook has a LOT of data on…
Dose Response in Digital Health Interventions
Using digital health apps to monitor, track, and support behavior change is table-stakes for most app companies these days. I have a few criticisms about how this space is…
Sleep and Health- Essential Bedfellows
Many of us know what a bad night's sleep feels like- we may go for that extra cup of coffee during the day, we may feel lower energy levels,…
Dog Ownership is Good for You!
Several friends speak the importance of pets for their health. They offer comfort in stressful times, add much-needed humor to their day, and for dog owners, they get them…
Intersectional Thinking Necessary to Address Obesity
This week's headlines are dominated by a series of new papers that address red meat consumption and health. I am not going to discuss those papers in this blog post.…
Current Landscape for Digital Therapeutic App Reimbursement
One path to business viability for digital therapeutic companies relies on models of reimbursement for their product. Health care is incredibility complex and so are the payment mechanisms. Digital…
Social Media Use and Mental Health in Adolescents
Latest reports indicate that smartphones are now in the hands of 81% of Americans and 97% of adolescents use social media daily. Phone use has become a signal and…
More Opportunities to Leverage Digital Phenotypes- Some Cautions
In last week's blog post, I wrote about the value of being able to make personalized care recommendations based on the evidence base. The challenge of Randomized Control Trials…