Self-monitoring of health - user viewpoints on gathering data using consumer health technologies during leisure time
IntroductionConsumer Health Technologies (CHTs), including wearables and brain-activity monitoring devices, are increasingly integrated into everyday life, extending beyond clinical settings into leisure activities. Yet, their ethical and social implications, especially in unregulated, non-clinical...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Digital Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2025.1588183/full |
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| author | Nora Weinberger Martina F. Baumann Maria Maia |
| author_facet | Nora Weinberger Martina F. Baumann Maria Maia |
| author_sort | Nora Weinberger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionConsumer Health Technologies (CHTs), including wearables and brain-activity monitoring devices, are increasingly integrated into everyday life, extending beyond clinical settings into leisure activities. Yet, their ethical and social implications, especially in unregulated, non-clinical contexts, remain underexplored.MethodsThis qualitative study examines how individuals perceive and engage with CHTs by combining guided interviews and pre-interview questionnaires. It focuses on attitudes toward health data collection, data sharing, privacy concerns, and the use of EEG-supported devices.ResultsFindings reveal a complex landscape of trust and concern. While participants generally favored sharing data with research institutions over corporations or insurers, they were skeptical about broad consent models. Some acknowledged potential health benefits of CHTs and EEG-supported technologies, but also expressed concerns about data security, behavioral pressure, and the normalization of self-optimization.DiscussionThe results underscore the need to center user perspectives in the development of CHTs, to promote transparent and context-sensitive privacy policies, and to anticipate ethical implications. In particular, the article argues for ethical frameworks to guide the use of EEG-supported technologies in everyday settings, ensuring alignment with societal values and equitable access to digital health benefits. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a014a0dedb0e4b988cd3c6eb62c1e6c1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2673-253X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Digital Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-a014a0dedb0e4b988cd3c6eb62c1e6c12025-08-20T03:32:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Digital Health2673-253X2025-06-01710.3389/fdgth.2025.15881831588183Self-monitoring of health - user viewpoints on gathering data using consumer health technologies during leisure timeNora WeinbergerMartina F. BaumannMaria MaiaIntroductionConsumer Health Technologies (CHTs), including wearables and brain-activity monitoring devices, are increasingly integrated into everyday life, extending beyond clinical settings into leisure activities. Yet, their ethical and social implications, especially in unregulated, non-clinical contexts, remain underexplored.MethodsThis qualitative study examines how individuals perceive and engage with CHTs by combining guided interviews and pre-interview questionnaires. It focuses on attitudes toward health data collection, data sharing, privacy concerns, and the use of EEG-supported devices.ResultsFindings reveal a complex landscape of trust and concern. While participants generally favored sharing data with research institutions over corporations or insurers, they were skeptical about broad consent models. Some acknowledged potential health benefits of CHTs and EEG-supported technologies, but also expressed concerns about data security, behavioral pressure, and the normalization of self-optimization.DiscussionThe results underscore the need to center user perspectives in the development of CHTs, to promote transparent and context-sensitive privacy policies, and to anticipate ethical implications. In particular, the article argues for ethical frameworks to guide the use of EEG-supported technologies in everyday settings, ensuring alignment with societal values and equitable access to digital health benefits.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2025.1588183/fullconsumer health technologieswearablesbrain-activity monitoring devicesdigital healthuser perspectivestechnology ethics |
| spellingShingle | Nora Weinberger Martina F. Baumann Maria Maia Self-monitoring of health - user viewpoints on gathering data using consumer health technologies during leisure time Frontiers in Digital Health consumer health technologies wearables brain-activity monitoring devices digital health user perspectives technology ethics |
| title | Self-monitoring of health - user viewpoints on gathering data using consumer health technologies during leisure time |
| title_full | Self-monitoring of health - user viewpoints on gathering data using consumer health technologies during leisure time |
| title_fullStr | Self-monitoring of health - user viewpoints on gathering data using consumer health technologies during leisure time |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-monitoring of health - user viewpoints on gathering data using consumer health technologies during leisure time |
| title_short | Self-monitoring of health - user viewpoints on gathering data using consumer health technologies during leisure time |
| title_sort | self monitoring of health user viewpoints on gathering data using consumer health technologies during leisure time |
| topic | consumer health technologies wearables brain-activity monitoring devices digital health user perspectives technology ethics |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2025.1588183/full |
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