Wearable Data Sharing Low
Despite increased wearable use, users are reluctant to share health data with doctors, with actual sharing remaining low over three survey periods.
Key points
- A Yale School of Medicine survey found wearable use increased from 30.2% in 2020 to 41.1% in 2024 among 17,395 participants.
- Half of the participants reported daily use of their wearable, but willingness to share data declined over the survey periods.
- Actual sharing of health data with doctors remained low, with the study highlighting a discrepancy between device adoption and engagement.
- Companies like Samsung and Oura advertise the health benefits of sharing wearable data, but users are not taking advantage of this feature.
- The study's findings suggest a gap between the potential of wearable data to inform healthcare and users' willingness to share it.
A recent study by Yale School of Medicine has found that despite the increasing use of wearables, users are hesitant to share their health data with doctors. The survey, conducted over three periods (2020, 2022, and 2024), involved 17,395 participants and found that wearable use increased significantly over time. However, the willingness to share data declined, and actual sharing remained low. This discrepancy highlights a gap between the potential of wearable data to inform healthcare and users' willingness to share it. Companies like Samsung and Oura often advertise the health benefits of sharing wearable data, but it appears that users are not taking advantage of this feature. The study's findings have implications for the use of wearable data in healthcare, suggesting that more needs to be done to encourage users to share their data.
Sources
The WireByte editorial team synthesises technology news from multiple primary sources, verifies the facts, and links every source. Articles are produced with AI assistance and reviewed under our editorial policy.