By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    photo of hands with blue veins
    8 Proven Tips on Finding Difficult Veins
    November 12, 2021
    tips for getting over the pandemic blues
    4 Proven Ways to Get Over the Pandemic Blues
    February 22, 2022
    medical industry innovations
    How is CNC Machining Transforming the Medical Industry?
    June 2, 2022
    Latest News
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    July 31, 2025
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    comparative negligence
    Not Knowing About Comparative Negligence Can Worsen Your Medical Debt
    April 12, 2023
    racial disparities in healthcare
    Why We Need to Address Racial Disparities in Maternal Health Care
    August 26, 2021
    Enhancing Pharmaceutical Patient Compliance & Drug Efficacy
    February 12, 2024
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Self Tracking
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Wellness > Self Tracking
Wellness

Self Tracking

Gary Levin MD
Gary Levin MD
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE



More Read

find a pain management doctor
Pain Management Clinics, Why Are They the Need Of The Hour?
4 Essential Eco-Friendly CBD Shopping Tips
7 Nutrients Your Diet May Be Missing
The Diagnosis That Could Have You Paying an Extra $40,000 Per Patient
Personalized Prevention, Part IV

Susannah Fox remembers Tom Ferguson, MD who coined the term “participatory medicine”. Dr Ferguson passed away in 2006 but not before “ePatient” became adopted by bloggers and those involved in health care social media. The “e” relates to “engagement” rather than ‘electronic’.

Think, for a moment, about the puzzle pieces of your own life. Think about the pieces you know well and the ones whose edges are blurry or indistinct. 

Now think about how a clinician might view your life’s puzzle. How can you help them to see how the pieces fit together? Which pieces do you want to keep private and even hide from view, because they are too personal or scary or embarrassing to reveal? What self-knowledge do you wish you had and do you want to share it with anyone other than yourself?

These are the sorts of questions that the Pew Internet Project and California HealthCare Foundationconsidered as we went into the field with our latest health survey. I’ll give you a sneak preview of the results related to engagement, because I think our field is moving too fast for me to wait for publication.

We found that 60% of American adults track their weight, diet, or exercise routine. One-third of American adults track health indicators or symptoms, like blood pressure, blood sugar, headaches, or sleep patterns. One-third of caregivers – people caring for a loved one, usually an adult family member – say they track a health indicator for their loved one.

Putting that all together, 7 in 10 American adults are self-trackers.

But guess what? Half of them are tracking “in their heads.” These are my people. I’m calling this group the “skinny jeans trackers.”

In addition:

  • One-third of self-trackers use a notebook or journal.

  • One-fifth of self-trackers use an app, a device, a spreadsheet, or a website.

  • Half track on a regular basis

  • The other half track when something changes, when something comes up and triggers the need to track.

Given the rise of smartphones and online tools, should we expect to see the percentage of self-trackers

go up? Should it be our goal to see 100% participation in self-tracking among people living with chronic conditions? What about among caregivers? And the general public?

Mobile health apps provide a great opportunity for self-trackers. Many will purchase these devices and software with curiosity and the current popular culture of healthcare technology. The big question is whether this will be a permanent integrated habit.

Which brings us to the topic of sharing in general.

What’s the future for self-tracking?

Adult Gadget Ownership over Time

Download data here

I was surprised to learn how many people track data already. Much of it is manual or kept in ‘heads’. Will HIT and mHealth automate this project without conscious interaction at some point. Will minute tattooed sensors replace blood pressure cuffs, and glucometers, or pulse oximeters. Surely we are only at the beginning of mHealth.

 

TAGGED:QSself-monitoring
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
Health
July 31, 2025
holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025
Telemedicine Apps
Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
Health
July 20, 2025

You Might also Like

blood donor app
eHealthMobile HealthTechnologyWellness

Top mHealth Apps for September

October 22, 2014
running shoes
FitnessWellness

How Many Running Shoes Should a Runner Have to Avoid Foot Problems?

January 18, 2021
Wellness

4 Low-Impact Exercises To Strengthen Your Core And Relieve Back Pain

September 3, 2018
The Best Natural Sleep Remedies & Aids
Wellness

The Best Natural Sleep Remedies & Aids

March 23, 2023
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?