Biomedical
Addressing privacy concerns for mobile and wearable devices sensors: Small-group interviews with healthy adults and cancer survivors
rnfinity
Grace Brannon,
Grace Brannon
enure-Track, Department of Communication, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Arlington,
Sophia Mitchell,
Sophia Mitchell
Department of Communication, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Arlington,
Yue Liao
Yue Liao
Tenure-Track, Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington, 5
Abstract
Objective: Mobile and wearable sensor technology is increasingly common and accessible. The aim of this study was to explore individuals' perceptions and acceptability of mobile and wearable sensors, as well as concerns. Methods: Purposive sampling was used to recruit non-patient adults (n = 22) and cancer survivors (n = 17) for face-to- face and virtual small-group interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis of the data focused on privacy concerns. Results: Participants reported that privacy was generally not a concern for sensor adoptions for physical activity health interventions except for health insurer access. Conclusion: The patient perspectives as reported in the findings illustrate the need for transparency between potential adopters and users of mobile and wearable devices and health care practitioners, as well as secure privacy policies for health insurers. Innovation: Older adults often are perceived as unwilling to adopt mHealth technologies for many reasons, including privacy concerns. This study examined an important patient population, cancer survivors, who are often overlooked yet may benefit from targeted health interventions using mHealth technologies, and compared their responses with a non-patient population for prevention purposes. Our findings suggest that one's lived health experiences (cancer sur- vivorship) are more influential than one's age in adopting mHealth technologies
Key Question
What is the main focus of this study?
The study explores individuals' perceptions and acceptability of mobile and wearable sensors, with a particular focus on privacy concerns among healthy adults and cancer survivors.
How was the research conducted?
Researchers conducted small-group interviews with 22 non-patient adults and 17 cancer survivors, utilizing purposive sampling to gather diverse perspectives.
What were the key findings regarding privacy concerns?
Participants generally did not express significant privacy concerns regarding the adoption of sensor technologies for physical activity health interventions, except for apprehensions about health insurers accessing their data.
Did cancer survivors have different perspectives compared to non-patient adults?
The study suggests that one's lived health experiences, such as cancer survivorship, may influence the willingness to adopt mobile health technologies more than age alone.
What are the implications of this research?
The findings highlight the need for transparency between users of mobile and wearable devices and healthcare practitioners, as well as the importance of secure privacy policies concerning health insurers.
Why is this study significant?
This research provides valuable insights into the acceptability of mobile health technologies among different populations, emphasizing the importance of addressing privacy concerns to enhance adoption and effectiveness.
