February 1, 2016 | By Michael Johnsen
DALLAS – Consumers are beginning to embrace mobile tools for heart health — but not enough. A January HealthMine survey of 501 consumers with known heart disease and/or risk found that just 27% of people are using an activity tracker. And only 16% say they are using their tracker to manage their heart condition/risk.
Yet 74% of those who do use an activity tracker report the device is helping them cope with their heart condition.
“Being connected to your health data can make a differencec” stated Bryce Williams, president and CEO HealthMine. “Millions of wearable fitness tracking devices will be incorporated into wellness programs over the next few years. But they need to tie into a larger, clinically-based strategy to help consumers know where they stand with their health, what they need to do and stay motivated to do it.”
Overall, HealthMine found that 31% of those with a heart condition/risk are using some type of mobile health tool to manage their condition/risk. Half are using an activity or fitness tracking deice or app, while 48% are using a blood pressure app. As many as 47% use a heart rate app and 38% a food/nutrition app.
HealthMine’s survey also found that 20% of respondents received a fitness or health-related gift for the holidays, and 10% say they were gifted a wearable activity tracker.
As for the 69% of consumers with heart problems who aren’t using mobile health tools to manage their condition/risk, 36% say they prefer “traditional” methods to manage their health, and 34% say they don’t know which device/app to use. Another 20% say they don’t own a mobile device, and 15% find mobile health tools too confusing.
