OPIUM IS THE OPIUM FOR THE MASSES –
Sept. 27, 2022 – At a basic level, people have varied access to internet, broadband and mobile phone data plans, which can hinder access. At the public clinics where I conduct research and practice, most Spanish-speaking patients are receiving care via telephone calls because of limited access to internet or data plans, as well as a lack of digital literacy. We’ve sometimes addressed this by training patients to use technology tools and even subsidized, via research grants, mobile phone data plans. But that’s not going to work in every case.
As technologies advance, the potential benefits increase but so do potentials for further inequity. For example, A.I. algorithms can improve efficiency and decision-making when it comes to getting people care, but the data that undergirds them are also subject to human biases. Imagine, for example, an A.I. algorithm designed to suggest enjoyable activities to break out of a depressive state. Seems like a good idea, right? But what happens if all of its suggestions cost money (“go to a movie”) or require certain amenities (“take a bath”)? Unfortunately, this is already happening. The latest digital mental health interventions are not adequately including high-burden and high-need populations in their development and testing.
