••• health care research
Healthy interest in connected health devices
An online survey by Ipsos, London, among adults aged 18 to 80 in the U.S., U.K. and Japan shows that around half of those in the U.S. and U.K., together with a fifth in Japan, agree that they would use a connected health device or tool as part of their treatment plan if it was recommended to them by a physician. However, a corresponding survey among 200 physicians i´n each of these markets (a mix of GPs/PCPs, endocrinologists and diabetologists) shows that only a minority consider themselves knowledgeable enough to choose the right connected health device or tool for their patients (24 percent in the U.S., 12 percent in the U.K. and 11 percent in Japan).
According to the research, the U.S. leads in connected health device adoption, with 21 percent of the U.S. general public now using some form of connected health device or tool to manage their health, followed by 11 percent in the U.K. and 5 percent in Japan. Additionally, 37 percent of the general public in the U.S., together with 26 percent in the U.K. and 13 percent in Japan, believe that connected health devices will form part of treatment plans in the future.
••• restaurant research
Take your phone to dinner
A study by RetailMeNot Inc., Austin, Texas, shows consumers are using their digital devices to ease dining decisions, including searching for nearby locations and deals. The findings show that 32 percent of consumers have used a deal they found online or on their mobile device at a restaurant in the past three months. Of the diners surveyed, one in four has at least one restaurant-specific app on his or her smartphone. Among people who dine out eight to 10 times a week, 68 percent use a restaurant-specific app.
The findings also show that consumers rely on their mobile devices for a variety of pre-meal research, including finding a restaurant location (53 percent), browsing a menu (49 percent) and researching new restaurants (37 percent). Consumers aged 25 to 34 are more likely to research new restaurants on their smartphone than any other age group (60 percent). Nearly two-thirds of diners use their smartphones for a variety of tasks while in a restaurant, including taking a photo (32 percent), checking in on social media (19 percent) and searching for online deals (19 percent). Other tasks include browsing reviews (17 percent) or nutritional information (16 percent) and paying for a meal via mobile (8 percent).