By CLICK Staff
Technology and more consistent connections and information about their own health is showing up as an important and growing trend among consumers and patients across the country. New devices and apps enable people to track symptoms, manage exercise or diet and monitor their activities.
According to the
Pew Internet & American Life Project, a new, first-ever national survey, called
Tracking for Health measures health data tracking, which has been shown in clinical studies to be a tool for improving outcomes. The Pew Internet survey finds that:
- 46 percent of trackers say that this activity has changed their overall approach to maintaining their health or the health of someone for whom they provide care.
- 40 percent of trackers say it has led them to ask a doctor new questions or to get a second opinion from another doctor.
- 34 percent of trackers say it has affected a decision about how to treat an illness or condition.
The results reported here come from a nationwide survey of 3,014 adults living in the United States. Telephone interviews were conducted by landline (1,808) and cell phone (1,206, including 624 without a landline phone). The survey was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Interviews were done in English and Spanish by Princeton Data Source from August 7 to September 6, 2012. Statistical results are weighted to correct known demographic discrepancies. The margin of sampling error for the complete set of weighted data is ±2.4 percentage points.
The Pew Internet & American Life Project is an initiative of the Pew Research Center, a nonprofit "fact tank" that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. The Project is nonpartisan and takes no position on policy issues. Support for the Project is provided by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
Seven in 10 (69 percent) U.S. adults track a health indicator for themselves or a loved one and many say this activity has changed their overall approach to health, the study reveals.
- 60 percent of U.S. adults say they track their weight, diet, or exercise routine.
- 33 percent of U.S. adults track health indicators or symptoms, like blood pressure, blood sugar, headaches, or sleep patterns.
- 12 percent of U.S. adults track health indicators or symptoms for a loved one.
However, their tracking is often informal:
- 49 percent of trackers say they keep track of progress "in their heads."
- 34 percent say they track the data on paper, like in a notebook or journal.
- However, 21 percent say they use some form of technology to track their health data, such as a spreadsheet, website, app, or device.
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