Justin Haugland-Pruitt
Doctoral research fellow at the University of Bergen
Justin is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Complex Conditions and Ageing, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen (UiB). His research focuses on assessing the ethical components of a digital intervention that aims to improve the quality of life in older adults. He studied biochemistry and philosophy at Cornell College and completed his master's degree in global health, where he explored the perceptions of clinically trained migrants on medical overuse. While technology provides significant opportunities to improve the health of older adults, we must be particularly vigilant in order to safeguard the rights of vulnerable populations to achieve an acceptable future through responsible research and development.
Tell us about your project!
The prevalence of chronic complex conditions (CCC), including neurological diseases (e.g., dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, PD), rises with advanced age making them into a various group with multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and frailty. There has been a growing interest in the digitalization of geriatric care with the goal of improving the independence and quality of life (QoL) of these individuals while easing the burden on caregivers and the health system.
My PhD project seeks to explore the ethical aspects of technology use in this population through a series of qualitative studies to better understand the perceptions and acceptability of certain technologies for this group for greater sustainability.
“While technology provides significant opportunities to improve the health of older adults, we must be particularly vigilant in order to safeguard the rights of vulnerable populations to achieve an acceptable future through responsible research and development.”
— Justi Haugland-Pruitt on his research project “Ethical assessment of technology and artificial intelligence for the care of older adults”