Privacy and data security in E-health: requirements from the user's perspective.

Area of Science:

• Medical technology
• Human-computer interaction
• Health informatics

Background:

• Medical assistive technologies are increasingly used in home environments.
• Ensuring user trust requires addressing security and privacy concerns.
• Understanding user requirements is vital for technology adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate user requirements regarding security and privacy in medical assistive technologies.
• To evaluate the perceived importance of data security and privacy issues among users.
• To identify demographic differences in security and privacy expectations.

Main Methods:

• A two-step empirical approach was employed.
• Focus groups (n=19) and a survey (n=104) were conducted.
• User requirements for medical technology use were collected and analyzed.

Main Results:

• Security and privacy are critical for the successful adoption of medical assistive technologies in the home.
• Users' perceptions of security and privacy importance were evaluated.
• Demographic analysis revealed distinct requirements based on gender, health status, and age.

Conclusions:

• Both security and privacy are essential for the widespread use of medical assistive technologies.
• Females and healthy adults require higher security and privacy standards.
• Tailoring security and privacy measures to specific user groups is recommended for effective implementation.