U.S. adults ready for apps, wearable sensors

A survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults revealed that Americans are ready and willing to leverage health apps and wearable devices to improve their personal health.

Makovsky Health and Kelton released the findings of their fifth annual "Pulse of Online Health" survey which aims to uncover shifts in consumer behaviors around online healthcare information use, according to a release. This year's survey indicates consumers are ready to disclose online personal health data as a path to improve treatment options. Data also cite trust and quality of health information as important factors in consumer selection of online health sources and show that many consumers are willing to pay more for medications based on efficacy or lower side effect profiles.

"Smartphones and wearables are driving a major behavioral shift in consumer health and wellness," said Gil Bashe, executive vice president, Makovsky Health. "Beyond a desire to speed access to information, consumers are using technology to engage proactively in managing their health--and a personality of 'search' is influenced by specific medical conditions. We also see stark differences between Millennials and those 66 and older in this year's survey. Savvy health marketers will apply these insights to engage and involve patients in more meaningful, customized ways."

An uptick in mobile usage for managing consumer health also is contributing to a dramatic shift in behavior when it comes to personal transparency. Health information has long hid behind the walls of patient confidentiality, with consumers and physicians holding personal health information close to their vests. In today's digital world, however, consumers and physicians cannot share health information online fast enough.

Mobile health platforms, in particular, represent a huge opportunity to improve health; 66 percent of Americans would use a mobile app to manage health-related issues. Millennials are leading the digital health charge, as they are more than twice as likely to express interest in using a mobile app to manage their health compared to those Americans 66 and older.

The survey found the following top interests when downloading and using mobile health apps:

• Tracking diet/nutrition (47 percent)
• Medication reminders (46 percent)
• Tracking symptoms (45 percent), and
• Tracking physical activity (44 percent).

Most common motivators for using a mobile app vary across health conditions. More than six in 10 (63 percent) with gastrointestinal conditions said they would use mobile health apps to track diet and nutrition; among obese or overweight consumers, 61 percent would make use of a mobile app to communicate with a doctor; half of those with pulmonary conditions would use a mobile app for medication reminders; and 52 percent with cardiovascular issues would use a mobile app to track sleeping patterns.

Wearable devices are gaining in popularity with 79 percent saying they would use such a device to manage their health with the following top preferences:

• Tracking physical activity (52 percent)
• Tracking symptoms (45 percent)
• Managing a personal health issue or condition (43 percent)
• Tracking sleep patterns (41 percent), and
• Tracking diet/nutrition (39 percent).

The survey revealed some interesting thoughts about which sources are the most trustworthy with respondents saying they are three times more likely to look to WebMD (57 percent) over government-affiliated websites such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (17 percent) or FDA (16 percent).

"It's amazing that, almost 20 years after it launched, WebMD has become America's doctor. Online searches are the new house call. This survey shows Americans aren't relying exclusively on healthcare providers or the government for health information these days, underscoring the enormous opportunity for health news organizations and healthcare companies to become go-to sources," said Tom Bernthal, founder and CEO of Kelton.

Among the 91 percent of Americans who would search online for health information, condition management (58 percent), exploring symptoms (57 percent) and researching a prescribed treatment (55 percent) are the most popular motivators. In contrast, if consumers were diagnosed with a medical condition, they would be most likely to research symptoms (41 percent), treatment options (26 percent), and specialized doctors and care facilities (18 percent).