Wearable Device Adoption, Physical Activity, and Health Data Sharing Among U.S. Cancer Survivors: Evidence from HINTS-7

Background/Objectives: Wearable devices are increasingly used to support physical activity (PA), yet national patterns of use and their relationship with PA among cancer survivors remain unclear. Integration of wearable data into clinical care is also poorly understood. This study examined wearable use, its association with meeting PA guidelines, and health data-sharing with providers among U.S. adults with and without cancer. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS-7), a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults, was conducted. Survey weights and jackknife replication methods generated population-level estimates. Wearable use (yes/no), meeting PA guidelines (≥150 min/week moderate activity), and data-sharing behaviors were assessed. Weighted logistic regression evaluated associations between wearable use and meeting PA guidelines, including interaction by cancer history. Analyses also examined willingness to share and actual data-sharing. Results: The sample included 6084 U.S. adults. Wearable use was lower among cancer survivors (34.0%) than those without cancer (41.4%). Individuals using wearable devices were more likely to meet PA guidelines (ORs: 1.79–1.97), with the association being stronger among cancer survivors. Among cancer-surviving wearable users, willingness to share data with providers was high (77.5%), but actual sharing was substantially lower (35.4%). Few predictors of willingness were identified. Conclusions: Wearable use is associated with meeting PA guidelines at the population level, with potential relevance for cancer survivors. However, despite high willingness to share data, clinical integration remains limited, highlighting a gap between digital engagement and healthcare use. Strategies to improve integration of patient-generated data into care are needed.