Who hasn't bought a wearable like a smart bracelet or downloaded an exercise monitoring app to encourage them to exercise more? Although they are a good motivation, a recent study affirms that there is a disparity in the results depending on the social class and the income level of the user.
In a recent study to determine the impact of behavior change programs on people with different income levels, the study authors showed that apps and wearable devices only helped increase the physical activity levels of people with a level of income. high socioeconomic. The finding reinforces the argument that digital health interventions may end up widening the health differences between groups and that they are designed for people with more money and with a higher level of education.
The rich benefit more from exercise apps
The new analysis examined 19 studies that found whether things like text messages, web prompts or portable step trackers could encourage people to increase their levels of physical activity. In all studies, behavioral tools were not effective enough for people of low socioeconomic status. On the other hand, they work well for the richest people, and it is a pattern that is maintained in all the types of approaches that the analysis of results did.
The study authors point out that these results are due to the fact that people of lower socioeconomic status tend to have less knowledge about electronic health, and therefore are less able to use technology to improve their health. They also attribute less time availability compared to the upper classes to do basic exercises such as going for a walk or exercising more frequently.
The analysis has focused on digital tools aimed at promoting physical activity such as w or exercise and health monitoring apps. But the study authors affirm that the same pattern can be found in programs aimed at other types of health behaviors such as exercise video games. It is seen that as improvements are made in health monitoring, it becomes more notable that technological change exacerbates class inequality.
Source: The Verge
