Technology | New chief complaints and anxieties (examples) |
Clinical thermometer | High or low body temperature |
Weight scale | Increased or decreased body weight |
Body composition analyser | Increased or decreased body fat percentage |
Blood pressure gauge (wristwatch-type) | High blood pressure (‘having a headache’) |
Oxygen saturation monitor (fingertip-type, wristwatch-type) | Low oxygen saturation (‘having respiratory discomfort’) |
Blood test (using a handy apparatus) | C reactive protein 1.2 mg/dL (no subjective symptom) |
Electrocardiogram (T-shirt-type, wristwatch-type) | Arrhythmia (medically harmless) |
Ultrasonography (in conjunction with a smartphone) | Any anomaly? Inflammation? Cancer? |
Brainwave measurement (by unipolar induction) | Sleeping disorder? Epilepsy? |
Automatic diagnostic software (via the internet) | Cancer? (‘Possible causes of your condition are acute gastroenteritis (90%), colon cancer (<0.1%)’) |
These are examples of complaints and anxieties newly induced by technology: inability to interpret measurement values and fear of possible anomalies or serious diseases.