Cleveland Clinic Survey: Most Americans Using Health Monitoring Technology are Experiencing Significant Physical and Mental Benefits

As advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) continue to revolutionize healthcare, findings from a new national Cleveland Clinic survey illustrate how Americans feel about the emerging role of AI in healthcare with 3 in 5 Americans believing that AI will lead to better heart care.

Despite the optimistic outlook, individuals are still cautious about how they use AI when it comes to their health. While 72% of Americans believe the health advice they receive from a computer chatbot is accurate, nine in ten (89%) said they would still seek doctor’s advice before acting on its recommendations.

In addition, although 65% said they would be comfortable receiving heart health advice from AI technology, only one in five (22%) Americans have sought health advice from a computer chatbot or other form of AI technology.

The survey also examined how Americans are using technology to improve their heart health, with 50% saying they use at least one type of technology to monitor their health. Daily step count is the most tracked health-related metric, followed by heart rate and calorie burn among Americans who use such technology. Notably, a quarter (23%) of Americans said they use monitoring technology to find motivation and/or accountability for achieving their daily activity goals.

“It is encouraging that Americans are embracing the use of AI technology and recognize how it can benefit their heart health,” said Yasser Rodriguez, MD an electrophysiologist with Cleveland Clinic Florida. “As these tools become more widely available, we want our patients to know that it is important to consult their physician for guidance and assistance with using them.”

Most Americans using health monitoring technology are experiencing significant physical and mental benefits, according to the survey responses. Four in five users (79%) have noticed positive changes to their physical or mental health.

“Wearables can monitor blood pressure and heartrate and detect abnormalities,” Dr. Rodriguez said. “Physicians can then determine if and when intervention is needed. Wearables can also be used to complement an individual’s fitness program, allowing them to set goals that include exercise frequency and intensity. These activities, combined with a healthy diet, can improve heart health, minimize the risk of heart disease and several other conditions, and improve quality of life.”

Additional results of the survey among those who use health monitoring technology include:

• 60% of Americans track their daily step count.
• 53% monitor their heart rate/pulse.
• 40% track their burned calories.
• 32% track their blood pressure.
• 53% say they began exercising more regularly after using wearable technology to monitor their health.
• 50% are getting in more steps per day than they used to.
• 34% are improving their eating habits.
• 27% are more intentional about finding time to de-stress and relax.

The survey was conducted as part of Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute’s “Love your Heart” consumer education campaign in celebration of American Heart Month in February. Cleveland Clinic has been ranked the No. 1 hospital in the country for cardiology and cardiac surgery for 29 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

For more information, go to: clevelandclinic.org/loveyourheart

Methodology
An online survey was conducted among 1,000 general population Americans, 18 years of age and older. Respondents were nationally representative regarding age, gender, region, education, household income, race/ethnicity, and urban/rural residency. An oversample of African Americans and Hispanics was collected to reach N=250 total for each. The online survey was conducted by Savanta and completed between Nov. 10-21, 2023. The margin of error for the total sample at the 95% confidence level is +/- 3 percentage points.