Survey: Consumers Engaged in Connected Health, But Concerned Over Privacy
A new nationwide survey has found that consumers are excited to use connected health technologies, but are concerned about data privacy issues. The survey, whose results were posted in a press release published on Tuesday, Dec. 13, found that “Americans are adopting a broad range of connected health technologies to improve their daily lives, and believe emerging technologies hold great promise for helping people improve health outcomes, live healthier lifestyles, improve preventative care, and gain access to remote care anytime, anywhere. But to enable these health gains -- and help Americans live longer and healthier lives -- consumers need to be able to trust that their technologies will be effective at protecting their most sensitive health data.” The survey polled the views of 2,414 Americans.
The survey was sponsored by Trusted Future, which describes itself as “a non-profit organization dedicated to the belief that we need smarter, better-informed efforts to enhance trust in today’s digital ecosystem in order to expand opportunities for tomorrow. We believe we deserve a vibrant digital ecosystem that is trusted, responsible, inclusive, and safe – one where you can trust that your privacy will be protected, your data will be secured, your safety can be protected, that leads to a more just, equitable and inclusive society, and that fosters previously unthinkable opportunities to improve your life,” Trusted Future’s website explains. “We bring together experts, advance new research, highlight common sense best practices, policies and recommendations, and explore new ways to foster and enhance the basic trust we need to support and sustain a healthier digital ecosystem.”
Key findings of the survey include:
> 58 percent of respondents rated as positive the fact that there are now more than 300,000 health-related applications available for download to a mobile device (apps to help track and improve health in areas like diet, fitness, weight loss, heart health and brain games)
> Over 80 percent of respondents expressed concern about their private data being sold without their consent, shared with others without permission, or being lost or stolen and subsequently showing up in public.
> 59 percent of respondents said they are more likely to trust connected health technologies when companies are prevented from collecting and selling location and other sensitive information without explicit consent.
> 52 percent of respondents want policymakers to reject efforts that have the effect of weakening strong encryption, and encourage the efforts of companies to protect their customers by deploying strong encryption.
The survey found that many Americans are already making use of connected healthcare technologies in their daily lives:
> 65 percent use connected health technologies to answer simple medical questions such as through a web search or by asking a virtual assistant.
> 49 percent use or have used health apps to set and reach fitness, mindfulness, weight loss, and other goals
> 45 percent store health related data on their mobile devices like information from their doctor, hospital, a medical ID, or health status.
> 41 percent report using smartwatches or other wearables to improve sleep quality, fitness, or other aspects of their health.
> 30 percent are using smart apps or devices that monitor activity to proactively detect health conditions (like heart problems) and alert the wearer so they can preventatively receive care.
And they expressed concerns, including about their private data being sold without their consent (82 percent), shared with others without permission (82 percent), or being lost or stolen and subsequently showing up in public (81 percent).
The same number of respondents said they would be more likely to trust health technologies if their personal data were backed up in an encrypted way.
And the press release quoted Ken Gude, Trusted Future’s executive director, as stating that "Consumers see connected health technologies as beneficial and believe they can have positive impacts for society by expanding access to healthcare and drastically improving health outcomes, but high in their minds is whether they can trust them. They need to be able to trust that these incredible technologies are not just effective and affordable, but that they are designed to protect their privacy and data security. Even though we are still in the early stages of connected health technology, consumers see the impact, believe in the potential, and want policymakers to support comprehensive privacy protections and strong encryption to build trust in their adoption."
