News Feature | March 6, 2015

Majority Of Americans Want Health Apps, Wearables

Katie Wike

By Katie Wike, contributing writer

Healthcare Wearables

The Fifth Annual "Pulse of Online Health" survey found two thirds of Americans are interested in apps to improve their health.

Makovsky Health and Kelton’s Fifth Annual Pulse of Online Health survey found the majority of Americans are interested in managing their health through apps and wearables.

“Smartphones and wearables are driving a major behavioral shift in consumer health and wellness,” said Gil Bashe, executive vice president, Makovsky Health in a press release. “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.”

MobiHealth News reports the study found 66 percent of those surveyed were interested in mobile apps and 79 percent were interested in wearables. Millennials were twice as likely to be interested in mobile apps as those over the age of 66.

Most commonly, respondents reported they were interested in the following features:

  • tracking diet and nutrition (47 percent)
  • medication reminders (46 percent)
  • symptom tracking (45 percent)
  • physical activity tracking (44 percent)

Those with chronic conditions also showed interest in apps and wearables. For example, among those with gastrointestinal conditions, 63 percent were interested in tracking diet and nutrition. When it came to those who were overweight, 61 percent said they would use an app to communicate with their doctor.

Other results showed that most patients (91 percent) would search for health information online. Additionally:

  • 58 percent would use online search to manage an existing condition
  • 57 percent to explore symptoms
  • 55 percent to research a treatment that’s been prescribed to them

The most trusted online source was WebMD with 57 percent of those surveyed indicating they would look at WebMD’s website for health information. Government-affiliated websites such as the CDC (17 percent) or FDA (16 percent) scored much lower. “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.