New data shows wearables are no longer just for the worried well

1 in 4 Americans now own a wearable. While it’s often assumed that those who purchase a wearable consist of the “worried well,” the data says otherwise—among Cardiogram users, the average Apple Watch owner is now 41 years old, and more likely than the general population to manage a chronic condition.

Today, we’re releasing our first Wearable Healthcare Usage Report, based on anonymized data from more than half a million Cardiogram users. The full report is below, but here are some highlights.

Wearable owners are more likely to manage a chronic condition than the general population

Surprisingly, those who purchased a wearable appear to be more likely than average to have a chronic condition. In fact, many of our users purchased a wearable in order to manage a chronic condition.

14% of Cardiogram users reported being diagnosed with sleep apnea, a rate nearly twice as high as the US population in general. For atrial fibrillation, the rate of 5.6% is nearly triple the population rate. About 7.7% and 26% of Cardiogram users have diabetes and hypertension, respectively—a rate on par with the general US population:

The quote above tells us why — heart rate data (along with other sensors) can help people with chronic conditions take back control of their lives.

Wearable owners are diverse in age - and needs

The average Apple Watch owner is 41 years old. In 2018 so far, 9.2% of wearable owners were over the age of 60, and 23% are over the age of 50. The breakdown of age ranges has been surprisingly consistent from 2016 to 2018:

While many wearable initiatives are offered through employers, about 16% of wearable owners get health insurance through a government program like Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, or Veterans Affairs. For example, the Iraq War veteran quoted below uses his heart rate sensor to manage his PTSD:

14% of Cardiogram users reported being diagnosed with sleep apnea, a rate nearly twice as high as the US population in general. For atrial fibrillation, the rate of 5.6% is nearly triple the population rate. About 7.7% and 26% of Cardiogram users have diabetes and hypertension, respectively—a rate on par with the general US population:

This diversity is an important reminder that wearable programs need to fit a very wide range of needs—a range beyond that considered in traditional corporate wellness programs.

Get the report

Want to learn more? You can download the full Wearable Healthcare Usage Report here. Let us know if you have questions or comments!