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What was already known on the topic: • Social media has been used by care-providers and patients to improve patient care. • There have been several failed attempts to use social media and online activity for epidemic surveillance. • Current surveillance systems have limitations that hinder their effectiveness. What this study added to our knowledge: • Twitter can be used to support, not replace, traditional surveillance systems. • Digital divide and information accuracy are two top factors impacting the efficacy of social media in epidemic surveillance. The risk of global epidemic outbreaks led to the development of epidemic tracking services dedicated to track and warn against them. Despite the usefulness of these services, they suffer from shortcomings that impact their efficiency. This study examines the efficacy of social media in epidemic outbreak surveillance by studying Twitter users' behavior related to the Zika virus outbreak in 2015–2016 and how this behavior can be used to track and predict Zika virus. We collected 67,000 tweets in English and Spanish under the hashtag #Zikavirus and #Zika in the period from October 1st, 2015 to February 25th, 2016. We examined the tweets using text analytics techniques and extracted the important concepts. We analyzed the differences in using these concepts from one month to another. There are significant differences between the numbers of tweets during the Zika outbreak as well as between the concepts used in English and Spanish tweets. The differences in Zika epidemic related tweets evolved with the epidemic outbreak and reflected the different stages of the epidemic. However, those differences also reflected a digital divide between developed and developing communities. The number of tweets was related to the threatened community rather than the severity of the threat. While Twitter can be used to augment current epidemic tracking systems, it cannot replace them. We identified digital divide and threat of misleading information as two factors that limit the dependence on Twitter as an epidemic tracking system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Using a qualitative methodology to explore seniors' use of wearable devices. • Seniors have a multitude of social contexts that influence their decision to use wearable devices. • Level and style of exercising influence seniors' decision to use wearable devices. • The impact of wearable devices on users depends on their prior level of exercising. Wearable devices have potential benefits for seniors healthcare. However, the rate of adoption of these devices is very low for seniors compared to other age groups. This study aims at examining the factors that influence seniors' use of wearable devices and the effect of these devices on seniors' behavior. This study uses qualitative methods to address the research questions. We conducted 26 interviews of seniors who have never used wearable devices before. We interviewed seniors before and after using activity tracking wearable devices. Furthermore, we collected wearable device quantitative data to support interview results. Seniors adoption of wearable devices involve several factors that can be categorized as technology related factors such as the complexity and customizability of wearable devices and individual related factors such as social influence, self-efficacy. Furthermore, the effects of using wearable devices vary among seniors depending on their activity patterns and exercise schedule. seniors' use of wearable devices is a complex process that involves the interactions of social, psychological, and technological factors. By understanding these factors, we can develop strategies to enhance seniors' use of wearable devices and improve their overall health and quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable devices have several benefits for the fast-growing senior adult population. However, the adoption rate of these devices by seniors is low and our understanding of their attitudes and behaviors is limited. This study explored the psychological barriers that influenced seniors' attitudes and intentions to use wearable devices by conducting mixed-methods research. Forty four members of the senior population were interviewed prior to and subsequent to using wearable devices. Next, a quantitative study was conducted using an online survey with 321 valid responses to confirm the qualitative study's findings. The results showed that perceived complexity and uncertainty were the most significant barriers that negatively impacted seniors' attitudes about their decisions to use wearable devices. Surprisingly, the results showed that perceived disability positively impacted seniors' attitudes about using wearable devices. These results provide interesting implications for both theory and practice. • Psychological barriers to seniors using wearable devices are empirically examined. • This study uses a mixed-methods research. • Perceived complexity and uncertainty are the most critical barriers that negatively impact seniors' attitudes. • Perceived disability positively impacts seniors' attitudes about using wearable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]