Fewer than a quarter of those with or at risk for CVD use wearable devices

Less than 25% of individuals with or at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) currently utilize wearable devices to improve cardiovascular health, and only half of these individuals use them consistently on a daily basis, according to a study.

The population-based cross-sectional study analyzed data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), including a representative sample of US adults. The study found that out of the 9,303 HINTS participants, representing approximately 247.3 million US adults, only 933 (10.0%) individuals had CVD, and 5185 (55.7%) were at risk for CVD.

The results found that an estimated 18% (3.6 million) of US adults with CVD and 26% (34.5 million) of those at risk for CVD used wearable devices. However, when compared to the overall US adult population (29%), the adoption rate among individuals with cardiovascular conditions was lower.

Factors such as older age, lower educational attainment, and lower household income were found to be independently associated with lower use of wearable devices among US adults at risk for CVD, even after considering differences in demographic characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors, and socioeconomic features.

Furthermore, the study indicated that among wearable device users, a smaller proportion of adults with CVD reported using these devices on a daily basis (38%), in contrast to the overall (49%) and at-risk (48%) populations.

A significant majority of wearable device users expressed their willingness to share health data with clinicians (83% of US adults with CVD and 81% of those at risk for CVD) to improve care.

Reference
Dhingra LS, Aminorroaya A, Oikonomou EK, et al. Use of Wearable Devices in Individuals With or at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease in the US, 2019 to 2020. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(6):e2316634. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.16634. PMID: 37285157.