key: cord-0889228-mu543lxo authors: Buhr, Lorina; Schicktanz, Silke; Nordmeyer, Eike title: Attitudes Toward Mobile Apps for Pandemic Research Among Smartphone Users in Germany: National Survey date: 2022-01-24 journal: JMIR Mhealth Uhealth DOI: 10.2196/31857 sha: feda158aef9f180f93e13cb4df00596b1e6a0ade doc_id: 889228 cord_uid: mu543lxo BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, but also in the context of previous epidemic diseases, mobile apps for smartphones were developed with different goals and functions, such as digital contact tracing, test management, symptom monitoring, quarantine compliance, and epidemiological and public health research. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the potential for the acceptance of research-orientated apps (ROAs) in the German population. To this end, we identified distinctive attitudes toward pandemic apps and data sharing for research purposes among smartphone users in general and with a focus on differences in attitudes between app users and nonusers in particular. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, national, telephone-based survey of 1003 adults in Germany, of which 924 were useable for statistical analysis. The 17-item survey assessed current usage of pandemic apps, motivations for using or not using pandemic apps, trust in app distributors and attitudes toward data handling (data storage and transmission), willingness to share coded data with researchers using a pandemic app, social attitudes toward app use, and demographic and personal characteristics. RESULTS: A vast majority stated that they used a smartphone (778/924, 84.2%), but less than half of the smartphone users stated that they used a pandemic app (326/778, 41.9%). The study focused on the subsample of smartphone users. Interestingly, when asked about preferred organizations for data storage and app distribution, trust in governmental (federal or state government, regional health office), public-appointed (statutory health insurance), or government-funded organizations (research institutes) was much higher than in private organizations (private research institutions, clinics, health insurances, information technology [IT] companies). Having a university degree significantly (P<.001) increased the likelihood of using a pandemic app, while having a migration background significantly (P<.001) decreased it. The overwhelming majority (653/778, 83.9%) of smartphone users were willing to provide their app data for state-funded research. Regarding attitudes toward app usage, striking differences between users and nonusers were found. Almost all app users (317/327, 96.9%) stated they would be willing to share data, whereas only 74.3% (336/452) of nonusers supported data sharing via an app. Two-thirds (216/326, 66.3%) of app users fully or rather agreed with the statement that using a pandemic app is a social duty, whereas almost the same proportion of nonusers entirely or rather disagreed with that statement (273/451, 60.5%). CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate a high potential for the adoption of ROAs among smartphone users in Germany as long as organizational providers engaged in development, operation, and distribution are state-funded or governmental institutions and transparency about data-using research institutions is provided. In den folgenden Fragen geht es um sogenannte Pandemie-Apps. Wir verstehen unter Pandemie-Apps auf einem Smartphone installierte digitale Anwendungen zur Kontaktverfolgung oder The following questions are about so-called pandemic apps. We think of pandemic apps as digital applications installed on a smartphone for tracking contacts or providing information in the event of rapidly spreading • Because I am concerned that third parties will use my data without my consent. [3] • Because I lack background information on data collection and data use. [4] • Because I feel monitored by the app. [5] • Because I fear that using the app will reduce the battery life of my smartphone. [6] • I had used a pandemic app in the past but had technical problems with it. [7] • Other reason. (not read out) [8] • Don't know, no indication. (not read out) [ • Regionales Gesundheitsamt [4] • Staatlich finanzierte Kliniken [5] • Privat finanzierte Kliniken [6] • Gesetzliche Krankenkassen [7] • Private Krankenversicherungen [8] Which distributor of a pandemic app do you consider trustworthy? (multiple answers possible) RANDOM ORDER CODES 1-10 • State-funded research institutions, e.g. universities [1] • Privately funded research institutions, e.g. research-based biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies [2] • Federal or state government [3] • Regional health authorities [4] • State-funded clinics [5] • Privately funded clinics [6] • Statutory health insurers [7] • Private health insurers [8] • German software companies producing the app [9] • Deutsche Software-Unternehmen, die die App herstellen [9] • [9] Where do you think the data collected by a pandemic app should be stored? (multiple answers possible) RANDOM ORDER CODES 1-6 • On the smartphone itself. [1] • At a non-profit organisation that manages app data as a trustee. [2] • At a government research institution. [3] • At the software company that produces the app. [4] • At federal agencies. [5] • None of the above, anywhere else. (not read out) [6] • Don't know, no indication. (not read out) [9] Bei der Kodierung wird Ihren personenbezogenen Daten eine Nummer zugewiesen, sodass Ihre personenbezogenen Daten nicht direkt mit Ihnen in Verbindung gebracht werden können. Coding is the process of assigning a number to your personal data so that your personal data cannot be directly linked to you. • Yes. [1] • • Test results from infection tests. [4] • Data collected by a fitness wristband or fitness watch. [5] • Other data that the app collects continuously without your intervention, e.g. ambient temperature. [6] • Data that you have entered into the app yourself. [7] • None of the above, anywhere else. (not read out) [8] • Don't know, no indication. (not read out) [ • Überhaupt nicht wichtig. [4] • Weiß nicht, keine Angabe. (INT.: NICHT vorlesen!) [5] • Not specified. [4] • Don't know, no indication. (not read out) [ [If Q07 Yes] How would you make the data collected using a pandemic app available to government research institutes so that it can then be used in coded form? (multiple answers possible) RANDOM ORDER CODES 3-7 • by having the smartphone automatically send the data to the research institute. [1] • by enabling the data in the app each time for the research institute so that it is sent from the smartphone to the research institute. [2] • by entering the data on the research institute's website. [3] • by writing down the data in an e-mail and sending it to the research institute. [4] • by writing down the data in an SMS and sending it to the research institute. [5] • indem ich die Daten in einer SMS notiere und an das Forschungsinstitut sende • indem ich bei einer Telefon-Hotline des Forschungsinstituts anrufe und die Daten dort angebe • indem ich bei einer Video-Hotline des Forschungsinstituts anrufe und die Daten in einem Video-Gespräch angebe • Nichts davon. (INT.: NICHT vorlesen!) keine Angabe. (INT.: NICHT vorlesen! • by calling a telephone hotline of the research institute and entering the data there • by calling a video hotline of the research institute and providing the data in a video conversation Die Nutzung von Pandemie-Apps ist eine gesellschaftliche Verpflichtung NICHT vorlesen!) The use of pandemic apps is a social obligation • Don't know, no indication (not read out) Welche Quellen nutzen Sie, um sich über das neuartige Coronavirus zu informieren? (Mehrfachnennung möglich) RANDOM ORDER CODES 1-7 • Television • Print newspaper or magazines • Social networks on the Internet • soziale Netzwerke im Internet, z. B. Facebook oder Twitter [5] • Gespräche mit Freunden oder Bekannten NICHT vorlesen!) [8] *OPEN • Keine Angabe. (INT.: NICHT vorlesen!) • Conversations with friends or acquaintances • Conversations with colleagues or in a professional environment [7] • Other sources. (not read out) Socio-demographic and personal characteristics Q13 Welches Geschlecht haben Sie? • Weiblich Darf ich fragen, wie alt Sie sind? --(INT.: Bitte Alter in Jahren eingeben.) ____________ Jahre • keine Angabe (INT.: NICHT vorlesen!) May I ask how old you are? -(INT.: Please enter age in years Welches ist Ihr höchster Schul-oder Studienabschluss? • Kein Schulabschluss What is your highest school or university degree? • No school-leaving qualification • Elementary or secondary school leaving certificate • Secondary school leaving certificate or polytechnic secondary school leaving certificate • Completed studies: Master's Degree/Magister/Diploma/State examination NICHT vorlesen!) Sind Sie oder Ihre Eltern nach Deutschland eingewandert ODER hatten Sie oder Ihre Eltern bei der Geburt eine ausländische Staatsangehörigkeit? Did you or your parents immigrate to Germany OR did you or your parents have a foreign nationality at birth? • Yes Gibt es in Ihrem persönlichen Umfeld eine Person, die mit dem neuartigen Coronavirus infiziert ist oder war, inkl. Sie selbst? • Ja Is there anyone in your personal environment who is or has been infected with the novel coronavirus, including yourself? • Yes