Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39127660›Full record

ArticleBMC medical ethics2024

The ethical dimension of personal health monitoring in the armed forces: a scoping review.

Dave Bovens, Eva van Baarle, Kirsten Ziesemer, Bert Molewijk

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical ethics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Dave BovensDepartment of Ethics, Law and Humanities, Amsterdam UMC, Location VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1089a, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. d.bovens@amsterdamumc.nl.ORCID 0000-0002-6107-2476
Eva van BaarleDepartment of Ethics, Law and Humanities, Amsterdam UMC, Location VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1089a, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-0212-3090
Kirsten ZiesemerMedical Library, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-7783-1126
Bert MolewijkDepartment of Ethics, Law and Humanities, Amsterdam UMC, Location VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1089a, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-1944-9759

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPersonal Health Monitoring (PHM) has the potential to enhance soldier health outcomes. To promote morally responsible development, implementation, and use of PHM in the armed forces, it is important to be aware of the inherent ethical dimension of PHM. In order to improve the understanding of the ethical dimension, a scoping review of the existing academic literature on the ethical dimension of PHM was conducted.

methodsFour bibliographical databases (Ovid/Medline, Embase.com, Clarivate Analytics/Web of Science Core Collection, and Elsevier/SCOPUS) were searched for relevant literature from their inception to June 1, 2023. Studies were included if they sufficiently addressed the ethical dimension of PHM and were related to or claimed relevance for the military. After selection and extraction, the data was analysed using a qualitative thematic approach.

resultsA total of 9,071 references were screened. After eligibility screening, 19 articles were included for this review. The review identifies and describes three categories reflecting the ethical dimension of PHM in the military: (1) utilitarian considerations, (2) value-based considerations, and (3) regulatory responsibilities. The four main values that have been identified as being of concern are those of privacy, security, trust, and autonomy.

conclusionsThis review demonstrates that PHM in the armed forces is primarily approached from a utilitarian perspective, with a focus on its benefits, without explicit critical deliberation on PHM's potential moral downsides. Also, the review highlights a significant research gap with a specific lack of empirical studies focussing specifically on the ethical dimension of PHM. Awareness of the inherent ethical dimension of PHM in the military, including value conflicts and how to balance them, can help to contribute to a morally responsible development, implementation, and use of PHM in the armed forces.

Indexed as

Military PersonnelHumansPersonal AutonomyPrivacyMilitaryMoralResponsibilityUtilitarianValue conflicts

Identifiers

PMID39127660
PMCPMC11316322

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.