According to Manhattan Research, the number of adults in the US who used their mobile phones for health information and tools grew from 61 million in 2011 to 75 million this year. Using tablets for accessing health information and tools doubled over the past year: 15 million US adults used tablets for health information last year and 29 million used them for health activities this year.
The research firm also found that among those Americans aged 55 and older who own or use a tablet device, about half of them are using the devices for health purposes.
For those American adults who own a tablet, smartphone and a desktop or laptop -- and use at least one of them for a health activity -- about 60 percent are using all three of the screen for accessing online health information and tools, according to Manhattan.
"Growing ownership of connected devices and the access to digital health tools and information they provide is helping to drive the broader shift from intermittent to continuous care," Monique Levy, Vice President of Research at Manhattan Research, stated. "This trend shows vast potential for changing key dynamics of healthcare delivery, including patient engagement, provider involvement, and how preventive care is incentivized."
For its Cybercitizen Health US survey the research firm polled almost 9,000 US adults via landlines, mobiles, and the internet during the third quarter. More on the survey over at Manhattan's website here.