Exploring public attitudes towards the use of digital health technologies and data
Exploring public attitudes towards the use of digital health technologies and data
24 November 2023
About 15 mins to read
Key points
- The NHS is looking to advances in digital health technologies and data to help tackle current pressures and meet rising demand. But ensuring new uses of technology and data have the backing of the public is critical if they are to become business as usual.
- In March 2023, we commissioned a survey of 7,100 nationally representative members of the public (aged 16 years and older) to investigate their attitudes to uses of health technologies and data, and the key factors affecting their views. Our earlier publication based on this survey reported on attitudes specifically towards virtual wards.
- Overall, the public thinks technology improves the quality of health care and is supportive of its many possible uses. But not all technologies are equally liked: those that empower people to manage their health and better connect them with the NHS seem to be more popular, while those that could be seen to ‘come between’ the clinician and patient – like chatbots or care robots – are least popular.
- Women and those most likely to be on low or no income were significantly less positive about the use of health care technology than men or those more likely to be on higher incomes, respectively – highlighting the need to engage with a wide and representative range of the public when considering how technology could be used in health care.
- The public is, on balance, happy with a range of ways its data could be used outside direct care, such as for research or to develop new medicines. But with around 1 in 5 people resistant to their data being used in these ways, it is clear that policymakers, health care organisations, researchers and industry must work to grow trust in the use of health data.
- The public trusts NHS organisations more with their health data than government or commercial organisations, though younger people are less likely than older people to trust the NHS with their data. As policymakers and health care organisations plan public engagement exercises on the use of health data, it will be particularly important to ensure young people are effectively represented.
Further reading
Exploring public attitudes towards the use of digital health technologies and data
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