Technology and Social Web: Social Worldwide Interactions

Abstract

In an ever-growing community of Web-connected people, cooperation and interaction give rise to new opportunities. The number of data produced every day and the net of connections that is established can be exploited in behalf of children’s health.

The rising generations already experience in their routine how the digital era is operating, with the youngest one more confident with electronic devices rather than traditional communication tools. Most of their communication happens today through very easy-to-use, cheap, accessible, and intuitive instruments.

This also applies to developing areas and in very rural districts of low-income countries.

The implementation of telehealth models has to take into account this scenario, exploiting the already operating resources, in order to obtain instruments children could become familiar with, from everyday ordinary tools to advanced health management devices.

Major issues related to cost-effectiveness, power supply, privacy, or liability have to be properly addressed, provided that children are already partially aware of some of those questions and that the Web-based software and hardware available today – and according to the model presented, usable for telehealth purposes – have already dealt with those problems, starting from their design and implementation.