Although 61% of people would prefer to manage their health at home, nearly half of UK consumers lack the education to do so.
61% of People Prefer To Measure Health At Home
A survey of 2,000 consumers by Kinetik Wellbeing has revealed that the majority of people prefer to measure their health at home (61%) rather than a healthcare setting.
However, when asked about ideal blood sugar and blood oxygen levels, 43% don’t know the answers. More concerningly, a third of us (35%) don’t know the ideal body temperature.
1 in 4 people reported that they had been recommended the use of home medical devices by their GP, a growing phenomenon since the pandemic.
When it comes to how the perceptions of home healthcare have changed in recent years, 76% believe home health monitoring to be more important since the pandemic. 68% are more likely to purchase a home healthcare device now compared to a few years ago.
Dr. Katie Stephens, Resident GP at Kinetik Wellbeing, added: “Having done NHS GP work both pre- and post-pandemic, I can vouch for the reasons in-person appointments now take up much more time and need to be reserved for patients with conditions that can’t be managed remotely. The good news is that getting people interested in taking ownership of their health monitoring at home can actually be a good thing and doesn’t necessarily need medical expertise. By empowering people to actively monitor things like oxygen levels (especially during a Covid-19 infection) or blood pressure, we can help detect problems even before symptoms occur, leading to better outcomes for the individual and potentially reducing the strain on the NHS at the same time.”
Lack of Information and Education
82% also admit to benefiting from access to more information about their readings. The top ways users understand their results currently include user manuals (65%), Google (44%), YouTube and other videos (33%), and social media (6%). To tackle misinformation and ensure that everyone knows their numbers, Kinetik Wellbeing is building a content and resource hub to empower users to understand their levels and what the results mean.
James Grover, Director at Kinetik Wellbeing, commented: “It’s great to see people taking a real interest in their own health rather than relying on the public health services. However, if the numbers aren’t meaningful, then how can they do something about their findings? That’s why we have come together with leading medical practitioners to provide education and content to help people understand their readings. This will help to close the UK’s knowledge gap and empower people to self-monitor their health.”
When asked why they were more likely to purchase a home healthcare device now, the top answers were the pandemic (59%) and existing health issues (22%). “The pandemic has undoubtedly made more people aware of the importance of monitoring their health at home, but knowing your numbers is important for everyone, whether they have an existing medical condition or feel fit and healthy” Grover concluded.
