A new survey conducted by juli, the AI-powered chronic condition platform, reveals sharp differences among Americans in the value they place on digital privacy.
Amid growing concern about the privacy of patient data, the survey found that app users’ assessments of the importance of data privacy varied widely by age, gender and education level. Overall, women, older people, and those with a college education all rated privacy as more important than men, younger people, and those with a high school education.
But regardless of demographics or attitudes towards data privacy, respondents expressed strong willingness to share their health data with their healthcare providers and family members. The survey is based on responses from 482 consumers who regularly use digital health apps and have at least one serious health condition.
In addition to its privacy findings, the survey revealed an even split between respondents who found an app on their own and those who had one recommended to them by their physician or other healthcare provider. The latter were more likely to share app data with their providers and less likely to worry about its security than those who found an app on their own or through recommendations from friends or family.
“Most people who use digital health apps seem to view privacy as a fundamental right, while others—especially younger consumers—seem more willing to sacrifice privacy in exchange for better health outcomes or other benefits,” said Bettina Hein, CEO and co-founder of juli. “This survey confirms the willingness of consumers to use digital health to connect with their providers and take better care of themselves and reminds makers of digital health apps how critical it is to ensure their users’ data privacy is protected.”