Pathology

Disease

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Infectious disease (medical specialty)

Pandemic

Outbreak

Artificial intelligence

Virology

Composite material

Materials science

Emerging technologies

Data science

Expansive

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak

Computer science

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)

Compressive strength

Medicine

Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies

The relationship between humans and digital technologies has been documented extensively in the past decades, but has yet to be reviewed through the lens of the current global pandemic crisis. This review synthesizes the rapidly growing literature on digital technology use during the current COVID-19 pandemic. It addresses the following four topics: (1) the specific digital technologies that have been used, (2) the specific populations who have used these digital technologies, (3) the specific activities that individuals and groups have used these digital technologies, and (4) the specific effects of using these digital technologies on humans during the pandemic. The 281 empirical articles we have identified suggest that (1) 28 various forms of technologies have been used, ranging from computers to artificial intelligence, (2) 8 different populations of users are using these technologies, primarily medical professionals, (3) 32 generalized types of activities are involved, including providing health services remotely, analyzing data, and communicating, and (4) 35 various effects have been observed, such as improved patient outcomes, continued education, and decreased outbreak impact. Through this rapid review, we sketched an expansive, multilevel model of the current knowledge of how humans are using technology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Major findings and future directions are discussed.

Digital technology use during<scp>COVID</scp>‐19 pandemic: A rapid review

Digital technology use duringCOVID‐19 pandemic: A rapid review