Wrocław/ Phone app allows to assess the impact of smog on health
Phone app that allows to assess the impact of smog and other air pollutants on health has been developed by doctors from Wrocław. It not only allows to collect research material, but can also help in the diagnosis, for example, recommend seeing a doctor.
The application has been developed by ophthalmologists and ENT specialists from the University Hospital in Wrocław. It allows to assess the condition of the surface of the eye and mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract of the app user.
Jonatan Nowakowski, a doctor from the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital in Wrocław, told PAP that the patient is localized by GPS in his phone and receives information on the state of air pollution in the area.
"The patient also fills a weekly questionnaire about dry eye syndrome and the condition of the upper respiratory tract, for example coughing or other symptoms. On this basis, he may receive a recommendation to see a doctor" - added Nowakowski.
He explained that the application is currently being tested in the United States.
"In the country the air pollution data are very well organized and accurate. This allows for more accurate testing of the application" - said the doctor.
In addition to Nowakowski, the application co-authors are doctors Wojciech Czak from the Department of Ophthalmology and Aleksander Łaba from the Department of Pathology, University Hospital in Wrocław. The project is implemented under the supervision of Prof. Marta Misiuk-Hojło, head of the Department of Ophthalmology and Dr. Tomasz Zatoński from the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital in Wrocław.
In addition to the benefits for the individual patients, the application is also significant for the collection of scientific materials for medical analysis, because it can be used on a large group of patients.
The idea of Wrocław doctors has already been appreciated by experts and awarded in October at an international ophthalmological conference EVER 2016 organized by the European Association for Vision and Eye Research.
Dr. Zatoński emphasised in an interview with PAP that the application will be used in the project, whose aim will be to determine the impact of air pollution and smog on the health of people living in a particular area.
"We want to obtain information about the health of patients coming to all Hospital Emergency Departments in Wrocław. We will correlate these data with their addresses of residence and the level of pollution in the area. The study will continue for a year, resulting in a diagnosis for the city on the impact of smog on health" - explained the otolaryngologist. (PAP)
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