Privacy Policies' Readability Analysis of Contemporary Free Healthcare Apps

Farooq, Emmen; Ghani, Maszuria A.; Naseer, Zuhaib; Iqbal, S.

doi:10.1109/icosst51357.2020.9332991

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…The finding of the average privacy policy readability assessment was that most statements (19) are at or above the 12th grade reading level. This aligns with previous literature indicating that mHealth privacy policies are not accessible due to health literacy limitations; thus, only high education audiences have the ability to interpret privacy policy information 13,29,30 . Future work should address the need for equitable access to mHealth privacy policy statements and promote the plain language of app privacy policies in several languages.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

“…This aligns with previous literature indicating that mHealth privacy policies are not accessible due to health literacy limitations; thus, only high education audiences have the ability to interpret privacy policy information. 13,29,30 Future work should address the need for equitable access to mHealth privacy policy statements and promote the plain language of app privacy policies in several languages. For example, best practice for health literacy is fourth grade reading level.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Evaluation of Mobile Health Cycle Tracking Applications Privacy, Security, and Data Sharing Practices

Jantraporn,

Kian,

Collins

et al. 2023

CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing

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he growth of digital technologies has increased exponentially in the last decade and holds promise to address gaps in care. 1 Digital technologies addressing women's health and reproductive needs, referred to as "FemTech," range from mobile health (mHealth) applications (eg, cycle tracking apps) to medical devices (eg, pelvic floor functionality). 2 There are over 100 million women who track their menstruation, or cycle, using mHealth apps. 3,4 FemTech apps have gained popularity in the last decade, and the industry is expected to exceed $60 billion globally by 2027. 2,5,6 Use of FemTech apps have enabled users to take more control over their reproductive health, have greater autonomy, and empower users with their own health data (eg, sharing data with health providers). 2,7-9 Despite the benefits from FemTech apps, the overturning of Roe v Wade (1973) has caused increased concern over data privacy, data sharing, and the potential behavioral data patterns being tracked with the use of FemTech devices, specifically mHealth cycle tracking apps. [4][5][6]10 The data collected from mHealth apps, also called consumergenerated health data, raise ethical concerns, due to the sensitive data shared in cycle tracking apps and limited regulation of data sharing practices. 3,6,11 Previous research indicates data privacy and sharing practices of mHealth apps lack transparency and end users do not have full awareness of what the privacy policy entails. 12,13 Most FemTech mHealth apps are commercial, and the data that are collected from these apps are shared among different agencies and often sold to third parties, generating profit for these apps. 4,14 Moreover, commercial mHealth apps are not covered by HIPAA because the vendor is not a covered entity or business associate. 14,15 Therefore, personal health information data are neither secure nor private.Accessibility of mHealth privacy policy statements is less than ideal. Previous research suggests these documents are cumbersome and unlikely to be read by most users. 3,16 A recent study found that of the 15 most popular cycle tracking apps, none of the apps required users to view the apps' terms of service or the privacy policies. 11,16,17 In addition, privacy policy statements have been found to be written at a reading level that exceeds the recommended level for those with low health literacy. 13 This has implications as health literacy has been acknowledged as a contributing factor to health disparities. 18 Furthermore, without HIPAA controls, this not only has implications for broad accessibility but also represents potential breach of informed consent. For example, providers may inquire if minors are using cycle tracking apps as "fertility" awareness is encouraged. Since providers must work within HIPAA's mandates, this has potential for ethical-legal conflict when a provider recommends a behavior, using a cycle tracking app, that may result in a breach of privacy, thus impacting the provider-patient trust. 6,11,19 Given the highly sensitive nature of mHealth cycle tra...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%