A project to get a better sense of how useful AARP members aged 50 and older find mobile health apps and what needs to be done to make fitness trackers and other devices more attractive has produced the results of the first part of the study. Many of the observations are non technical and point to the need to develop better packaging to consider people with arthritis and other mobility problems and easier-to-understand instructions for a non-technical audience. Other observations from the 92 person study, titled Project Catalyst, included:
- Make them unobtrusive to wear;
- Easier to maintain;
- Provide more features like timely alerts and instantaneous access to information;
- Explain how activity and sleep trackers collect data;
- Include sensors for health-specific conditions;
The 6-week study also produced some encouraging feedback about the level of interest in the activity trackers. About 45 percent said it increased their motivation to exercise and 67 percent saw them as beneficial.
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
Still, once of the biggest challenges in the activity tracking realm has not necessarily been getting people to make these conclusions, but simply sustained use. But 42 percent said they would continue to use the devices, according to Dr. Brad Fain, a director of Georgia Tech’s HomeLab and principal research scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute.
In an interview with MedCity News, Fain said the devices scored well on usability but things like simply getting the instructions out of the box or retrieving the devices from the packages proved challenging to many in the group. Some also had trouble understanding how their activity was measured. Still, once they surmounted these obstacles, about half reported they slept better and were more active, Fain said.
Fain observed that the study underscores the importance of universal design.
“I’m a big proponent of universal design,” Fain said in response to the question of whether seniors should have apps specially designed for them.
A Personalized Approach to Medication Nonadherence
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
One of the big questions frequently posed of digital health is why there are relatively few apps for people over 50, relative to the 100 million people who fit into that age range. The assumption tends to be that they are uninterested in mobile health apps or devices or would find the technology unwieldy, especially as they get into their 70s and 80s. But Project Catalyst by the AARP and Georgia Institute, a series of studies are designed to get feedback from members of AARP’s community as to what they get out of using these apps and devices and what would make them better.
The next stage is a much longer, six-month study on medication adherence apps and devices. Among the sponsors of Project Catalyst are MedStar Health, Pfizer and UnitedHealthcare.
