Study conducted with ResearchKit shows how the data collected is really reliable

O ResearchKit has helped several fields of medicine and patients, improving the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. Regarding the information collected, there is still a skepticism about the data obtained by applications on smartphones. However, at least regarding asthma, a Nature Biotechnology showed that it obtained a large amount of reliable data just using ResearchKit.

Asthma Asthma and ResearchKit in Apple's keynote

The Asthma Health application (for the study of asthma) that was even mentioned by Apple in one of its keynotes it has already been downloaded by over 50,000 iPhone users, of whom 7,600 participated in a six-month study. Through the app, volunteers responded to questionnaires about how they treated asthma, in addition to providing information on location and air quality. After that, it was checked whether the information given corresponded to reality (in relation to external factors), proving that the data were really reliable.

Although it was a successful study, there are still limitations in relation to research carried out by smartphones. For example, researchers believe that the study is most effective when it lasts a shorter period of time. There are also slightly more serious problems, such as the selection method, low retention rates, communication and data security.

Despite these factors and the fact that patients fill out their own questionnaires, the data in the asthma study reveal a lot of security, at least in this study specifically. And, of course, as research appears, the technology will improve more and more to meet the needs of both doctors and patients.

(via The Verge)