3 Apple Health Research Studies You Can Enroll In Now
Want to contribute to Apple’s health research studies? You can sign up for programs on women’s health, your heart and movement, and hearing using the Research app.
With Apple’s Research App, you can contribute to research into various health issues while monitoring your own health and the conditions that may affect it. All you need is an iPhone or an Apple Watch.
Through this app and program, you can choose from three different studies in which to participate: 1) a Women’s Health Study that looks at infertility, menopause, and other issues; 2) an Apple Heart and Movement Study that examines heart health; and 3) an Apple Hearing Study that tries to determine how exposure to noise can affect your hearing.
To be eligible for the studies, you’ll need an iPhone 6s or later running iOS 13.2 or higher. For the Apple Heart & Movement study, you need an Apple Watch Series 1 or later running watchOS 6.1 or higher. You also need to live in the US and meet certain minimum age requirements.
First, download and install the Apple Research app on your iPhone. Read the Welcome screens to learn more about the studies and how Apple handles the privacy of your health data. At the Studies screen, scroll down to read the details on the three different studies, then choose which studies you wish to join.
Enroll in the Hearing Study
Tap the Learn More & Enroll button for the Hearing study, then tap Enroll in Study at the next screen. You will then be asked to fill out a research profile with your personal information.
Read the Informed Consent Form (warning; it’s a long one). At the bottom of the screen, write your signature in the appropriate box, then tap Next.
The next screen indicates that the study wants access to certain data, specifically your Health app data. Tap the Review Request button and select the Turn All Categories On. This means the Hearing study will be able to access data from the Health app on Audiogram, Environmental Audio Levels, and Noise Notifications.
If you don’t want to share all data, you can turn on the switches just for the items you wish to share. Tap Allow in the upper-right corner.
Back at the Required Study Data screen, tap Next and the app says you’re enrolled. Tap the Tasks button to view the tasks you have for the study. The first task for the Hearing Study will involve answering questions to establish certain demographics.
The second task requires you to enable Measure Levels settings, while the third gives you a questionnaire to fill out. When all the tasks have been completed, the study will automatically start to collect any relevant data.
Enroll in the Heart Study
On the Studies screen in the app, swipe down to the Apple Heart & Movement Study and tap the Learn More & Enroll button. Read the details about the study and tap the button to Enroll in Study.
You will need to sign an Informed Consent Form, as well as a HIPAA Authorization form, allowing Apple to share your information with medical professionals.
For this study, you will have to enter information about your demographics. You must also share your data from the Health app. From the Required Study Data screen, tap the Review Request button next to Health App Data. At the Health screen, tap the link to Turn All Categories On, then Tap Allow.
If you don’t want to share all data, you can turn on the switches just for the items you wish to share. Tap Allow in the upper-right corner.
The next task is to share sensor data from your device. Tap Review Request under Sensor & Usage Data, then tap Review Request. Read the next screen about Sensor & Usage Data and tap Next.
Read the Detailed Heart Rate screen and tap the button to Allow Collection and Sharing to proceed. Do the same at the screens for Distance and Speed, Elevation, and Motion. Tap Done at the final screen.
Back at the Required Study Data screen, tap Next. At the screen telling you that you’re enrolled, tap View Tasks. At the Tasks screen, tap the Start button for the Using your Apple Watch to contribute task and go through the setup process.
Enroll in the Women’s Health Study
From the Studies screen in the app, swipe down to the Women’s Health Study and tap the Learn More & Enroll button. Read the details about the study and tap the button to Enroll in Study.
You will have to sign a consent form and give the Health app access to certain data. This information will include Body Mass Index, Cycle Tracking, Blood Pressure, Menstruation, Sleep Analysis, and Spotting.
You can either allow access to all categories by tapping Turn All Categories On or just selectively turn on the switches for the items you wish to share. The Tasks screen then asks you to take a Menstrual Status Survey.
Review Your Data
You can review the data being collected from the studies. In the Research app, tap Your Data on the bottom navigation bar.
Tap the corresponding entries to view collected data, manage your data access, and view and modify your research profile.
Withdraw from a Study
If you wish to withdraw from a study, tap the Studies icon in the Research app. Tap the study you wish to leave. Swipe down the screen and tap the link to Withdraw from this study. At the next screen, confirm your wish to withdraw.
Originally published at https://www.pcmag.com.
