Background Wearable devices that are used for observational research and clinical trials hold promise for collecting data from study participants in a convenient, scalable way that is more likely to reach a broad and diverse population than traditional research approaches. Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is a potential resource that researchers can use to recruit individuals into studies that use data from wearable devices. Objective This study aimed to explore the characteristics of wearable device users on MTurk that are associated with a willingness to share wearable device data for research. We also aimed to determine whether compensation was a factor that influenced the willingness to share such data. Methods This was a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey study of MTurk workers who use wearable devices for health monitoring. A 19-question web-based survey was administered from March 1 to April 5, 2018, to participants aged ≥18 years by using the MTurk platform. In order to identify characteristics that were associated with a willingness to share wearable device data, we performed logistic regression and decision tree analyses. Results  A total of 935 MTurk workers who use wearable devices completed the survey. The majority of respondents indicated a willingness to share their wearable device data (615/935, 65.8%), and the majority of these respondents were willing to share their data if they received compensation (518/615, 84.2%). The findings from our logistic regression analyses indicated that Indian nationality (odds ratio [OR] 2.74, 95% CI 1.48-4.01, P=.007), higher annual income (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.26-3.67, P=.02), over 6 months of using a wearable device (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.21-2.29, P=.006), and the use of heartbeat and pulse tracking monitoring devices (OR 1.60, 95% CI 0.14-2.07, P=.01) are significant parameters that influence the willingness to share data. The only factor associated with a willingness to share data if compensation is provided was Indian nationality (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.24-0.9, P=.02). The findings from our decision tree analyses indicated that the three leading parameters associated with a willingness to share data were the duration of wearable device use, nationality, and income. Conclusions Most wearable device users indicated a willingness to share their data for research use (with or without compensation; 615/935, 65.8%). The probability of having a willingness to share these data was higher among individuals who had used a wearable for more than 6 months, were of Indian nationality, or were of American (United States of America) nationality and had an annual income of more than US $20,000. Individuals of Indian nationality who were willing to share their data expected compensation significantly less often than individuals of American nationality (P=.02).

BACKGROUND Wearable devices used for observational research and clinical trials hold promise to collect data from study participants in a convenient, scalable way, that is more likely to reach a broad and diverse population than traditional research approaches. Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is a potential resource for researchers to recruit individuals into studies that use data from wearable devices. OBJECTIVE This work aimed to explore MTurk wearable device users’ characteristics associated with a willingness to donate wearable device data for research use. METHODS This is a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey study of MTurk workers who use health monitoring devices. A 19-question Web-based survey was administered from March 1st to April 5th, 2018 to participants 18 years or older using the MTurk platform. In order to identify characteristics associated with willingness to donate wearable device data, we performed logistic regression and decision tree analyses. RESULTS A total of 935 MTurk workers who use wearable devices completed the survey. The majority of respondents (615/935, 66%) indicated a willingness to donate their wearable device data. Findings from logistic regression analyses indicated Indian nationality (OR=2.74, 95% CI 1.48-4.01), higher annual income (OR=2.46, 95% CI 1.26-3.67), over six months of using wearable device(s) (OR1.75, 95% CI 1.21-2.29) and heartbeat/pulse track type of monitoring device (OR=1.60, 95% CI .14-2.07) as significant parameters influencing a willingness to donate. Findings from decision tree analyses indicated three leading parameters associated with a willingness to donate: duration of wearable device use, nationality, and income. CONCLUSIONS Most wearable device users indicated a willingness to donate their data for research use. The probability of a willingness to donate these data was higher among individuals who had used a wearable for more than six months, or were of Indian nationality, or were of American nationality with annual income of more than $20,000 US dollars.

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