In the three months since Stanford researcher and cardiologist Michael McConnell, MD, told ABC’s Nightline that the new MyHeart Counts iPhone app would give scientists “a whole new way to do research,” the number of users has continued to steadily climb.
"Traditionally reaching many people to participate in research studies is quite challenging," McConnell told business correspondent Rebecca Jarvis in March. "The ability to reach people through their phone is one major advance."
The number of iPhone owners who have downloaded the app and consented to participate in a large-scale study of the human heart has now reached 40,000. In an effort to keep updated on how the app is progressing as a new research method, I reached out to McConnell, the lead investigator of the study, with a few questions. The MyHeart Counts study continues to break ground as a new method for reaching large numbers of research participants in a short amount of time, McConnell told me. Comparing it to traditional research trials, he said:
There have been larger research studies, particularly national efforts to study their populations, but we believe enrolling this many participants in such a short time frame is unprecedented.
The app, which was launched in early March, collects data about users' physical activity using the smartphone’s built-in motion sensors. Participants also answer surveys concerning their cardiac-risk factors. In return, they get coaching tips and feedback on their chances of developing heart disease.
McConnell says that the next phase of the project, which will use behavior-modification methods to encourage healthy behaviors, is about to be launched. App users will be given more personalized feedback about their individual behaviors and risk, based on the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 guidance. Future tips will include messages on everything from how to manage blood pressure, eat better, lose weight and control blood sugar. Part of the study is to determine whether these type of "pings" used through apps are actually successful at changing human behavior, McConnell told me:
Healthy behaviors are critical to preventing heart disease and stroke, so the MyHeart Counts app will study which motivational tools are most helpful. This will follow the second activity and fitness assessment... The initial approach will be empowering participants with more personalized feedback about their individual behaviors and risk.
To sign up for the MyHeart Counts study, visit the iTunes store.
Previously: Lights, camera, action — Stanford cardiologist discusses MyHeart counts on ABC's Nightline, Build it (an easy way to join research studies) and the volunteers will come, MyHeart Counts app debuts with a splash and Stanford launches iPhone app to study heart health
Photo by Japanexperterna (CC BY-SA)
