A new national survey has found that consumers are excited to use connected health technologies, but are concerned about data privacy issues. The survey, the results of which were published in a press release published on Tuesday, December 13, found that “Americans are adopting a wide range of connected health technologies to improve their daily lives and believe that emerging technologies hold great promise. to help people improve their health. results, live healthier lifestyles, improve preventative care, and access remote care anytime, anywhere. But to enable these health gains — and help Americans live longer, healthier lives — consumers need to be able to trust that their technologies will be effective in protecting their most sensitive health data. The survey polled the opinions 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, more informed efforts to build trust in today’s digital ecosystem’ today in order to expand the opportunities of tomorrow”. We believe we deserve a vibrant digital ecosystem that is trusted, accountable, inclusive and secure – one where you can be sure your privacy will be protected, your data will be secure, your security can be protected, leading to a more just, an equitable and inclusive society, and one that fosters previously unthinkable opportunities to improve your life,” explains the Trusted Future website. “We bring together experts, advance new research, highlight common-sense best practices, policies and recommendations, and explore new ways to foster and improve the foundational trust we need to sustain and sustain a healthier digital ecosystem.
Key findings from the survey include:
> 58% of respondents rated it positive that there are now over 300,000 health-related apps available for download on a mobile device (apps to track and improve health in areas such as diet, fitness, weight loss, heart health, and brain health). Games)
> Over 80% of respondents expressed concern about their private data being sold without their consent, being shared with others without their permission, or being lost or stolen and appearing in public.
> 59% of respondents said they were more likely to trust connected health technologies when companies are not allowed to collect and sell location information and other sensitive information without explicit consent.
> 52% of respondents want policy makers to reject efforts that have the effect of weakening strong encryption and encourage companies’ efforts to protect their customers by deploying strong encryption.
The survey found that many Americans are already using connected health technologies in their daily lives:
> 65% use connected health technologies to answer simple medical questions, such as searching the web or asking a virtual assistant.
> 49% use or have used health apps to set and achieve fitness, mindfulness, weight loss and other goals
> 45% store health-related data on their mobile devices, such as information about their doctor, hospital, medical ID or health status.
> 41% say they use smartwatches or other wearable devices to improve their sleep quality, fitness or other aspects of their health.
> 30% use apps or smart devices that monitor activity to proactively detect health issues (such as heart problems) and alert the wearer so they can receive preventative care.
And they expressed concerns, including about their private data being sold without their consent (82%), shared with others without permission (82%), or lost or stolen and then revealed in public (81%) .
The same number of respondents said they would be more likely to trust health technologies if their personal data was stored encrypted.
And the press release quotes Ken Gude, executive director of Trusted Future, as saying that “consumers view connected health technologies as beneficial and believe they can have positive impacts for society by expanding access to healthcare. and dramatically improving health outcomes, but in their minds is whether they can trust them.They need to be able to trust that these incredible technologies are not only effective and affordable, but 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 policy makers to support comprehensive protections of privacy and strong encryption to build trust in their adoption.”
The full survey results are available here.
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