AARP teams up with Pfizer and UnitedHealthcare to support digital health tech studies

The AARP has launched an initiative as part of a move to roadtest mobile health apps and devices to determine if they fit the needs of its demographic, according to a statement from the organization. Project Catalyst includes collaborations with Pfizer and UnitedHealth. It’s also a response to the fact that the 100 million people aged 50 and older are the largest consumers of healthcare and the interest in pushing digital health companies to develop devices that are designed with them in mind.

Georgia Tech Research Institute is conducting the first study which involves up to 80 consumers aged 50 and over who will test six different sleep and activity tracking devices over a six-week period. Researchers will evaluate how the study participants use the products, identify barriers and user engagement with some of the most popular activity and sleep trackers on the market. Researchers will not rank the products, but will determine where the technology is serving the needs of older consumers and areas where the users want improvements. They include: Withings Pulse, Misfit Flash, Lumo Lift, Spire, Fitbit Charge and Jawbone Up24.

Jody Holtzman, a senior vice president with AARP, said it was “thrilled” about launching the project and starting the study. “The goals of Project Catalyst are in direct alignment with the mission of AARP – to identify challenges and determine solutions to improve the quality of life for people as they age.”

The findings from the study on sleep and activity trackers will be available in June.

Wendy Mayer, vice president of Worldwide Innovation at Pfizer said the big pharma company sees the value in identifying innovative solutions to dealing with challenges like adherence for the 50+ demographic.

Although the interest in digital health has produced hundreds of different types of devices and apps, relatively few of them have been submitted to the kind of rigorous studies that would demonstrate that their advertised capabilities are accurate. Data from such studies would make it easier to confirm their strengths and weaknesses.