By Anwar Gariban, Public Contributor
Introduction
Wearable devices such as Fitbits and Apple Watches are now part of everyday life, capturing information about activity, sleep, oxygen levels, heart rate and wellbeing. As a PPIE contributor at the BHF Data Science Centre (BHF DSC), I was interested in how Smartphone and Wearable Technology can support cardiac research and improve care. However, despite the richness of wearable and smartphone data, there is still no reliable mechanism for harnessing it safely, fairly and transparently.
Background
The potential is clear: wearable data can reveal daily patterns in cardiac health, including disease trajectories, early warning signs and opportunities to develop more effective interventions. For me, the value of this work was not just the technology, but also in understanding how it could be used fairly, safely and in ways people can understand and trust.
The challenge, I quickly found, lies in collecting the data at scale, linking it safely and developing governance frameworks that maintain public confidence. Patients, public contributors with lived experience of cardiac illness, clinicians and researchers therefore came together to shape a shared vision for linking wearable and smartphone data with electronic health records in a transparent and inclusive way.
PPIE Contribution
Public contributors at BHF DSC shaped the work from the early stages, including refining research questions, developing participant materials, reviewing survey wording, shaping consent language and discussing governance principles. One issue PPIE raised was the cost of consumer wearables. Many devices are expensive and relying only on people who already own them could exclude those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, including people who may have greater health needs. As a result, two recruitment models emerged:
- Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) model – recruiting people who already use smartphones and wearable devices and, with consent, safely linking their data to Electronic Health Records.
- Research Device Model – providing participants with a research-grade device to ensure that people who do not own or cannot afford one are not excluded.
Impact
A 2024 public survey led by the BHF DSC showed strong support for sharing wearable and smartphone data, with 75% of respondents in favour of sharing their data. This finding reinforced the importance of designing research approaches that are transparent, inclusive and trusted by the public.
The impact of this early work is already visible. I am proud that our public contribution helped shape a large-scale, multi-year wearables study led by Professor Tim Chico at the University of Sheffield. For me, this shows the value of involving public contributors meaningfully from the start. The research has the potential to benefit participants, NHS researchers and the wider public by enabling more personalised, real-world health insights.
Public contributor Laurence Humphreys-Davies said:
“I was a part of a team of patients and public participants consulting with a group discussing and analysing Smartphones and Wearables. This was led by a medical statistical expert, but patients and members of the public were involved in the discussions from the word go. It was extremely interesting to hear other people’s points of view put into the context of what might be available for professionals to gather data on health.
“Many variables which I had never even imagined were brought into the conversation. That was recognition that not all people will be approving of the use of smartphones and wearables to gather information, so a good case was made for the advantages that such practises can bring. Everyone was listened to, and we were left with the feedback that our contributions had been useful, which validated our efforts.
“I would be happy to take part in any future such endeavours I would encourage others to do so as well.”