“Digital” Determinants of Health | Rachael Donalds | TEDxNewBedford

the World Health Organization has named

the World Health Organization has named stress the health epidemic of the 21st

stress the health epidemic of the 21st

stress the health epidemic of the 21st century

century

century chronic stress has been linked to it the

chronic stress has been linked to it the

chronic stress has been linked to it the leading causes of death including heart

leading causes of death including heart

leading causes of death including heart disease research shows stress levels are

disease research shows stress levels are

disease research shows stress levels are only increasing the question now arises

only increasing the question now arises

only increasing the question now arises what factors influence our health the

what factors influence our health the

what factors influence our health the safety of your physical environment the

safety of your physical environment the

safety of your physical environment the strength and quality of your social

strength and quality of your social

strength and quality of your social connections

connections

connections perhaps your biological and genetic

perhaps your biological and genetic

perhaps your biological and genetic makeup what about artificial

makeup what about artificial

makeup what about artificial intelligence these factors that

intelligence these factors that

intelligence these factors that determine our health look very different

determine our health look very different

determine our health look very different 50,000 years ago on the savannahs of

50,000 years ago on the savannahs of

50,000 years ago on the savannahs of Africa today our Lions not only travel

Africa today our Lions not only travel

Africa today our Lions not only travel by the speed of their leap but by the

by the speed of their leap but by the

by the speed of their leap but by the speed of light our communities are

speed of light our communities are

speed of light our communities are becoming virtual when making clinical

becoming virtual when making clinical

becoming virtual when making clinical predictions our doctors no longer look

predictions our doctors no longer look

predictions our doctors no longer look up to patterns and the stars but

up to patterns and the stars but

up to patterns and the stars but patterns and our medical data the

patterns and our medical data the

patterns and our medical data the digitization of our environmental social

digitization of our environmental social

digitization of our environmental social and biological health determinants is

and biological health determinants is

and biological health determinants is creating an enormous amount of big data

creating an enormous amount of big data

creating an enormous amount of big data well this has been going on for four

well this has been going on for four

well this has been going on for four decades clinicians are now partnering

decades clinicians are now partnering

decades clinicians are now partnering with computer scientists to utilize the

with computer scientists to utilize the

with computer scientists to utilize the computing power of artificial

computing power of artificial

computing power of artificial intelligence or AI algorithms to process

intelligence or AI algorithms to process

intelligence or AI algorithms to process big datasets for clinical insights and

big datasets for clinical insights and

big datasets for clinical insights and even treatment recommendations but

even treatment recommendations but

even treatment recommendations but here’s my concern ai algorithms like

here’s my concern ai algorithms like

here’s my concern ai algorithms like deep neural networks are modeled after

deep neural networks are modeled after

deep neural networks are modeled after our own neural architecture and like our

our own neural architecture and like our

our own neural architecture and like our human brain is shaped by daily

human brain is shaped by daily

human brain is shaped by daily experiences these artificial neural

experiences these artificial neural

experiences these artificial neural networks are also shaped by our

networks are also shaped by our

networks are also shaped by our experiences by our data in this case our

experiences by our data in this case our

experiences by our data in this case our medical data if an AI is going to start

medical data if an AI is going to start

medical data if an AI is going to start making treatment recommendations I want

making treatment recommendations I want

making treatment recommendations I want it to not only know about the biological

it to not only know about the biological

it to not only know about the biological but the social and environmental factors

but the social and environmental factors

but the social and environmental factors that inform my health for example it can

that inform my health for example it can

that inform my health for example it can identify and die

identify and die

identify and die stress and anxiety in college students

stress and anxiety in college students

stress and anxiety in college students an epidemic across the UK in the US but

an epidemic across the UK in the US but

an epidemic across the UK in the US but can it identify the environmental and

can it identify the environmental and

can it identify the environmental and social conditions that precipitated the

social conditions that precipitated the

social conditions that precipitated the onset unlike human intelligence if not

onset unlike human intelligence if not

onset unlike human intelligence if not in the data set a I cannot creatively

in the data set a I cannot creatively

in the data set a I cannot creatively adapt and generalize knowledge of how

adapt and generalize knowledge of how

adapt and generalize knowledge of how biological factors differ across diverse

biological factors differ across diverse

biological factors differ across diverse social and environmental contexts

social and environmental contexts

social and environmental contexts not to mention populations that can’t

not to mention populations that can’t

not to mention populations that can’t afford health care or are geographically

afford health care or are geographically

afford health care or are geographically isolated we should note that the same

isolated we should note that the same

isolated we should note that the same health inequalities and inequities that

health inequalities and inequities that

health inequalities and inequities that exist in patient data today will not be

exist in patient data today will not be

exist in patient data today will not be magically populated by AI but may be

magically populated by AI but may be

magically populated by AI but may be perpetuated how can we reduce these

perpetuated how can we reduce these

perpetuated how can we reduce these disparities in our health data right now

disparities in our health data right now

disparities in our health data right now our data is segregated and regulated by

our data is segregated and regulated by

our data is segregated and regulated by health consumer and lifestyle economies

health consumer and lifestyle economies

health consumer and lifestyle economies data sharing between these economies

data sharing between these economies

data sharing between these economies typically don’t occur however in a

typically don’t occur however in a

typically don’t occur however in a collaborative economy consumers are able

collaborative economy consumers are able

collaborative economy consumers are able to acquire resources from each other

to acquire resources from each other

to acquire resources from each other instead of corporations this encompasses

instead of corporations this encompasses

instead of corporations this encompasses bay sharing like Airbnb for example if I

bay sharing like Airbnb for example if I

bay sharing like Airbnb for example if I rent out a room in my house the value of

rent out a room in my house the value of

rent out a room in my house the value of that house increases for both myself the

that house increases for both myself the

that house increases for both myself the homeowner but also the person saving

homeowner but also the person saving

homeowner but also the person saving potentially hundreds of dollars in hotel

potentially hundreds of dollars in hotel

potentially hundreds of dollars in hotel fees the premises when information about

fees the premises when information about

fees the premises when information about goods and services are shared with the

goods and services are shared with the

goods and services are shared with the community their value increases for the

community their value increases for the

community their value increases for the share and community can we extend the

share and community can we extend the

share and community can we extend the model of the collaborative economy to

model of the collaborative economy to

model of the collaborative economy to the model of collaborative health to

the model of collaborative health to

the model of collaborative health to help fill in the gaps in our health data

help fill in the gaps in our health data

help fill in the gaps in our health data if I share my consumer health and

if I share my consumer health and

if I share my consumer health and lifestyle data with my community the

lifestyle data with my community the

lifestyle data with my community the value of that data increases for both

value of that data increases for both

value of that data increases for both myself and the community by digitally

myself and the community by digitally

myself and the community by digitally collecting our whole human experience

collecting our whole human experience

collecting our whole human experience not just medical or consumer we can

not just medical or consumer we can

not just medical or consumer we can reduce disparities in our health data

reduce disparities in our health data

reduce disparities in our health data just as we donate blood because we are

just as we donate blood because we are

just as we donate blood because we are donating our data

donating our data

donating our data our collaborative challenges and

our collaborative challenges and

our collaborative challenges and triumphs can train AI algorithms to

triumphs can train AI algorithms to

triumphs can train AI algorithms to identify novel treatments collaborative

identify novel treatments collaborative

identify novel treatments collaborative health will take us beyond sharing

health will take us beyond sharing

health will take us beyond sharing tangible items to realizing the

tangible items to realizing the

tangible items to realizing the life-giving properties of sharing our

life-giving properties of sharing our

life-giving properties of sharing our data for not just the individual but the

data for not just the individual but the

data for not just the individual but the population in 1628 physician dr. William

population in 1628 physician dr. William

population in 1628 physician dr. William Harvey said life is in our blood in 2016

Harvey said life is in our blood in 2016

Harvey said life is in our blood in 2016 physician dr. Dan Kraft said data

physician dr. Dan Kraft said data

physician dr. Dan Kraft said data donation will become the new blood

donation will become the new blood

donation will become the new blood donation

donation

donation indeed this data will course through the

indeed this data will course through the

indeed this data will course through the veins of AI and that river of life or

veins of AI and that river of life or

veins of AI and that river of life or the health of one is linked to that of

the health of one is linked to that of

the health of one is linked to that of the whole in this case artificial

the whole in this case artificial

the whole in this case artificial intelligence is not that artificial I am

intelligence is not that artificial I am

intelligence is not that artificial I am NOT a computer scientist I am a doctoral

NOT a computer scientist I am a doctoral

NOT a computer scientist I am a doctoral student in counseling psychology at

student in counseling psychology at

student in counseling psychology at Boston University and a recent graduate

Boston University and a recent graduate

Boston University and a recent graduate of the Harvard School of Public Health

of the Harvard School of Public Health

of the Harvard School of Public Health as a Bostonian it might not come as a

as a Bostonian it might not come as a

as a Bostonian it might not come as a complete surprise that I have been in

complete surprise that I have been in

complete surprise that I have been in three significant car accidents in the

three significant car accidents in the

three significant car accidents in the past five years resulting in a post

past five years resulting in a post

past five years resulting in a post concussion syndrome and an overactive

concussion syndrome and an overactive

concussion syndrome and an overactive thyroid disorder I used my own patient

thyroid disorder I used my own patient

thyroid disorder I used my own patient consumer and lifestyle data to assist in

consumer and lifestyle data to assist in

consumer and lifestyle data to assist in my recovery after the first accident I

my recovery after the first accident I

my recovery after the first accident I was diagnosed with host concussion

was diagnosed with host concussion

was diagnosed with host concussion syndrome which is a mild traumatic brain

syndrome which is a mild traumatic brain

syndrome which is a mild traumatic brain injury

injury

injury I became hypersensitive to my external

I became hypersensitive to my external

I became hypersensitive to my external environment what sounded like a

environment what sounded like a

environment what sounded like a hurricane blowing past my window was a

hurricane blowing past my window was a

hurricane blowing past my window was a car traveling a casual speed of 30 miles

car traveling a casual speed of 30 miles

car traveling a casual speed of 30 miles per hour what looked like piercing

per hour what looked like piercing

per hour what looked like piercing strobing lights was the morning sunlight

strobing lights was the morning sunlight

strobing lights was the morning sunlight dancing through the leaves after the

dancing through the leaves after the

dancing through the leaves after the second accident I was again diagnosed

second accident I was again diagnosed

second accident I was again diagnosed with post concussion syndrome but my

with post concussion syndrome but my

with post concussion syndrome but my symptoms were a little different

symptoms were a little different

symptoms were a little different while the hypersensitivity to my

while the hypersensitivity to my

while the hypersensitivity to my environment returned I now had

environment returned I now had

environment returned I now had difficulty regulating my attention

difficulty regulating my attention

difficulty regulating my attention energy and mood I became severely

energy and mood I became severely

energy and mood I became severely depressed my doctor also informed me

depressed my doctor also informed me

depressed my doctor also informed me that because of the physical trauma my

that because of the physical trauma my

that because of the physical trauma my body was releasing high levels of stress

body was releasing high levels of stress

body was releasing high levels of stress hormones like cortisol

hormones like cortisol

hormones like cortisol resulting in hyperthyroidism which means

resulting in hyperthyroidism which means

resulting in hyperthyroidism which means I would need to take a pill for the rest

I would need to take a pill for the rest

I would need to take a pill for the rest of my life to decrease my heart rate and

of my life to decrease my heart rate and

of my life to decrease my heart rate and metabolism my body was responding this

metabolism my body was responding this

metabolism my body was responding this way for good reason

way for good reason

way for good reason 50000 years ago on the savannahs of

50000 years ago on the savannahs of

50000 years ago on the savannahs of Africa our body evolved to automatically

Africa our body evolved to automatically

Africa our body evolved to automatically or unconsciously regulate response to

or unconsciously regulate response to

or unconsciously regulate response to external threats by the time we

external threats by the time we

external threats by the time we consciously think oh my goodness it’s a

consciously think oh my goodness it’s a

consciously think oh my goodness it’s a lion our body has already increased its

lion our body has already increased its

lion our body has already increased its own heart rate visual acuity and muscle

own heart rate visual acuity and muscle

own heart rate visual acuity and muscle tension preparing to fight flee or an

tension preparing to fight flee or an

tension preparing to fight flee or an extreme danger freeze but because of the

extreme danger freeze but because of the

extreme danger freeze but because of the repeated physical trauma

repeated physical trauma

repeated physical trauma my body was misperceiving even

my body was misperceiving even

my body was misperceiving even non-threatening stimuli like passing

non-threatening stimuli like passing

non-threatening stimuli like passing cars as lions no longer on the savannahs

cars as lions no longer on the savannahs

cars as lions no longer on the savannahs of Africa but in Boston at this point I

of Africa but in Boston at this point I

of Africa but in Boston at this point I was forced to take a step back from a

was forced to take a step back from a

was forced to take a step back from a psychophysiological perspective I knew

psychophysiological perspective I knew

psychophysiological perspective I knew exactly what was happening to me and I

exactly what was happening to me and I

exactly what was happening to me and I knew the long-term health implications

knew the long-term health implications

knew the long-term health implications beyond taking a pill I needed an

beyond taking a pill I needed an

beyond taking a pill I needed an objective way to regulate and monitor my

objective way to regulate and monitor my

objective way to regulate and monitor my mind and body between doctor’s visits in

mind and body between doctor’s visits in

mind and body between doctor’s visits in the real world and in real-time I am

the real world and in real-time I am

the real world and in real-time I am part of a generation that intuitively

part of a generation that intuitively

part of a generation that intuitively turns to technology for solutions

turns to technology for solutions

turns to technology for solutions so naturally I started experimenting

so naturally I started experimenting

so naturally I started experimenting with mobile technologies to track my

with mobile technologies to track my

with mobile technologies to track my physical and emotional stress in

physical and emotional stress in

physical and emotional stress in response to different environments

response to different environments

response to different environments activities even social interactions

activities even social interactions

activities even social interactions today I no longer take a pill to

today I no longer take a pill to

today I no longer take a pill to regulate my heartrate metabolism I use a

regulate my heartrate metabolism I use a

regulate my heartrate metabolism I use a mobile app I created I realized through

mobile app I created I realized through

mobile app I created I realized through my academic and life experiences that

my academic and life experiences that

my academic and life experiences that our health is a result of our biological

our health is a result of our biological

our health is a result of our biological environmental and social interactions

environmental and social interactions

environmental and social interactions and then it dawned on me wouldn’t it be

and then it dawned on me wouldn’t it be

and then it dawned on me wouldn’t it be interesting and helpful to know what

interesting and helpful to know what

interesting and helpful to know what situations were stressful and relaxing

situations were stressful and relaxing

situations were stressful and relaxing for other people what if that data could

for other people what if that data could

for other people what if that data could be donated to hospitals and universities

be donated to hospitals and universities

be donated to hospitals and universities to connect the dots between the

to connect the dots between the

to connect the dots between the biological social and environmental

biological social and environmental

biological social and environmental factors that determine our health in the

factors that determine our health in the

factors that determine our health in the real world and in real time were cures

real world and in real time were cures

real world and in real time were cures our crowd-sourced and the road to health

our crowd-sourced and the road to health

our crowd-sourced and the road to health is navigated together collaboratively

after graduating from Harvard I created

after graduating from Harvard I created an app called BIOS a that got accepted

an app called BIOS a that got accepted

an app called BIOS a that got accepted to Harvard’s innovation labs for example

to Harvard’s innovation labs for example

to Harvard’s innovation labs for example if I wanted to understand the degree to

if I wanted to understand the degree to

if I wanted to understand the degree to which public speaking undue stress I

which public speaking undue stress I

which public speaking undue stress I would place my finger over the cellphone

would place my finger over the cellphone

would place my finger over the cellphone camera the measurer bio G would then

camera the measurer bio G would then

camera the measurer bio G would then begin to form

begin to form

begin to form I would then add voice and facial

I would then add voice and facial

I would then add voice and facial analysis type a quick note at a friend

analysis type a quick note at a friend

analysis type a quick note at a friend or two and then post it so others can

or two and then post it so others can

or two and then post it so others can view my experience on a map or augmented

view my experience on a map or augmented

view my experience on a map or augmented reality oh and of course I would donate

reality oh and of course I would donate

reality oh and of course I would donate my data to research hospitals not and

my data to research hospitals not and

my data to research hospitals not and academic institutions it is my hope that

academic institutions it is my hope that

academic institutions it is my hope that by us there would be just one tool used

by us there would be just one tool used

by us there would be just one tool used to express our authentic experiences and

to express our authentic experiences and

to express our authentic experiences and share our data well it is still a

share our data well it is still a

share our data well it is still a primitive tool the algorithm used to

primitive tool the algorithm used to

primitive tool the algorithm used to interpret well-being is fairly young and

interpret well-being is fairly young and

interpret well-being is fairly young and it has a lot to learn I hope you will

it has a lot to learn I hope you will

it has a lot to learn I hope you will join me in training the app through your

join me in training the app through your

join me in training the app through your own experiences as Peter Diamandis said

own experiences as Peter Diamandis said

own experiences as Peter Diamandis said our brain has not had a software upgrade

our brain has not had a software upgrade

our brain has not had a software upgrade in 50 thousand years we are hardwired to

in 50 thousand years we are hardwired to

in 50 thousand years we are hardwired to recognize threat before safety but

recognize threat before safety but

recognize threat before safety but during times of stress our body just

during times of stress our body just

during times of stress our body just doesn’t release stress hormones like

doesn’t release stress hormones like

doesn’t release stress hormones like cortisol it also releases oxytocin which

cortisol it also releases oxytocin which

cortisol it also releases oxytocin which increases our desire to bond with others

increases our desire to bond with others

increases our desire to bond with others and Darwin’s descent of man he mentioned

and Darwin’s descent of man he mentioned

and Darwin’s descent of man he mentioned survival of the fittest three times he

survival of the fittest three times he

survival of the fittest three times he mentions love over 40 times we survived

mentions love over 40 times we survived

mentions love over 40 times we survived because of our humanity our ability to

because of our humanity our ability to

because of our humanity our ability to collaborate the collaborative economy

collaborate the collaborative economy

collaborate the collaborative economy has taught us that experiences and data

has taught us that experiences and data

has taught us that experiences and data are valued when they are shared mobile

are valued when they are shared mobile

are valued when they are shared mobile health technologies can assist

health technologies can assist

health technologies can assist individuals and populations to become

individuals and populations to become

individuals and populations to become aware of the environmental and social

aware of the environmental and social

aware of the environmental and social determinants that increase well-being as

determinants that increase well-being as

determinants that increase well-being as AI begins to play a more active role in

AI begins to play a more active role in

AI begins to play a more active role in how we receive and access care creating

how we receive and access care creating

how we receive and access care creating a new digital determinants of health it

a new digital determinants of health it

a new digital determinants of health it is important for not just computer

is important for not just computer

is important for not just computer scientists but clinicians patients and

scientists but clinicians patients and

scientists but clinicians patients and policymakers to know that an algorithm

policymakers to know that an algorithm

policymakers to know that an algorithm is only as generalizable as the deity it

is only as generalizable as the deity it

is only as generalizable as the deity it was trained on what if we could train it

was trained on what if we could train it

was trained on what if we could train it together

together

together imagine a world where health is

imagine a world where health is

imagine a world where health is collaborative and wellness is

collaborative and wellness is

collaborative and wellness is crowd-sourced where we can identify the

crowd-sourced where we can identify the

crowd-sourced where we can identify the environmental and social factors that

environmental and social factors that

environmental and social factors that cause the illness based on our

cause the illness based on our

cause the illness based on our collaborative experiences in the real

collaborative experiences in the real

collaborative experiences in the real world and in real time not just the

world and in real time not just the

world and in real time not just the hospital my invitation to you today is

hospital my invitation to you today is

hospital my invitation to you today is to embrace the opportunity that this

to embrace the opportunity that this

to embrace the opportunity that this world health epidemic offers whether we

world health epidemic offers whether we

world health epidemic offers whether we do so in real life conversations or

do so in real life conversations or

do so in real life conversations or through tools like BIOS a it is in our

through tools like BIOS a it is in our

through tools like BIOS a it is in our sharing and communicating of everyday

sharing and communicating of everyday

sharing and communicating of everyday experiences that we will thrive well I

experiences that we will thrive well I

experiences that we will thrive well I am NOT here to speak on the soul I do

am NOT here to speak on the soul I do

am NOT here to speak on the soul I do believe we are more than the sum of our

believe we are more than the sum of our

believe we are more than the sum of our parts we are more complex than our data

parts we are more complex than our data

parts we are more complex than our data the human experience is more complex

the human experience is more complex

the human experience is more complex than alike if it takes a village to

than alike if it takes a village to

than alike if it takes a village to raise a child it will take the world to

raise a child it will take the world to

raise a child it will take the world to train a doctor AI and when it has

train a doctor AI and when it has

train a doctor AI and when it has learned from the majority and the

learned from the majority and the

learned from the majority and the minority from people in remote regions

minority from people in remote regions

minority from people in remote regions and faraway lands from those who pray

and faraway lands from those who pray

and faraway lands from those who pray from freedom of a disease or disasters

from freedom of a disease or disasters

from freedom of a disease or disasters rain from those who have finally found

rain from those who have finally found

rain from those who have finally found peace in the heavens or who have learned

peace in the heavens or who have learned

peace in the heavens or who have learned to be that change then once upon a time

to be that change then once upon a time

to be that change then once upon a time collaboratively we will heal each other

collaboratively we will heal each other

collaboratively we will heal each other and we will see that change we began our

and we will see that change we began our

and we will see that change we began our journey today in Africa and in honor of

journey today in Africa and in honor of

journey today in Africa and in honor of our theme beginning I would like to end

our theme beginning I would like to end

our theme beginning I would like to end with a word and bun – which has many

with a word and bun – which has many

with a word and bun – which has many translations none of which I will do

translations none of which I will do

translations none of which I will do justice but I will leave you with one I

justice but I will leave you with one I

justice but I will leave you with one I am because you are thank you

am because you are thank you

am because you are thank you [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] you

you

you [Applause]