Enhancing Quality of Life and Health with ICT

Dear Colleagues,

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is an increasingly important component of modern society, touching almost every aspect of our lives. It is used for applications such as communication, entertainment, sensing and control, and in a wide variety of setting such as homes, cars, workplaces and public spaces. ICT-based transformations are generally positive, but can have negative impacts on quality of life and health. Examples include the overuse of social media and other applications, leading to disturbed sleep, low self-esteem in the young, and a sense of isolation from current social channels in the elderly. However, ICT can also be used in ways that specifically safeguard or enhance health, for example, through sensor-based intelligent systems that monitor health, diagnose disease, or encourage more healthy lifestyles and greater exercise, leading to an improved quality of life.

For this Special Issue, we are seeking contributions that address ways in which ICT can be designed and applied to help maintain and enhance quality of life and health, including both physical and mental wellbeing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the design and use of ICT to:

• enhance personal safety and a sense of security;
• provide mental and physical exercise programs to maintain health;
• encourage healthy eating and lifestyle patterns;
• overcome mental health issues such as depression, phobias, and eating disorders;
• provide experiences that aid meditation, relaxation, revitalization and recuperation;
• monitor and provide feedback on personal health parameters;
• increase social interaction and participation to help combat isolation and loneliness;
• mitigate or reverse the negative impact of other ICTs.

We are interested in cases highlighting innovative ways of deploying new and existing technologies in realistic settings, for these and other related areas of application. Contributions that include empirical measures of effectiveness and impacts on users’ lives are particularly welcome. More theoretical approaches to the design of health-enhancing technologies are also sought, as are review articles covering specific areas and aims of use relevant to addressing quality of life and health with ICT.

Prof. Dr. John Waterworth
Prof. Dr. Mark Chignell
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.