Minen MT

Headache smartphone applications (apps) shared information with third parties, posing privacy risks partly because there are few legal protections against the sale or disclosure of data from medical apps to third parties. This is according to a recent study that sought to assess whether there are privacy issues surrounding apps and the potential privacy implications of how the app companies (and other third parties) might use that information. Researchers conducted a systematic search of the most popular “headache” and “migraine” apps and developed a database of the types of data the apps requested for input by the user, and whether the apps had clear privacy policies. They also examined the content of the privacy policies and found:

• Twenty-nine apps were examined (14 diary apps, 15 relaxation apps).
• Of the diary applications, 79% (11/14) had visible privacy policies.
• Of the diary apps with privacy policies, all (11/11) stated whether or not the app collects and stores information remotely.
• A total of 55% (6/11) stated that some user data were used to serve targeted advertisements.
• A total of 11/15 (73%) of the relaxation apps had privacy policies.

Minen MT, Stieglitz EJ, Sciortino R, Torous J. Privacy issues in smartphone applications: An analysis of headache/migraine applications. [Published online ahead of print July 4, 2018]. Headache. doi:10.1111/head.13341.

Headache smartphone applications (apps) shared information with third parties, posing privacy risks partly because there are few legal protections against the sale or disclosure of data from medical apps to third parties. This is according to a recent study that sought to assess whether there are privacy issues surrounding apps and the potential privacy implications of how the app companies (and other third parties) might use that information. Researchers conducted a systematic search of the most popular “headache” and “migraine” apps and developed a database of the types of data the apps requested for input by the user, and whether the apps had clear privacy policies. They also examined the content of the privacy policies and found:

• Twenty-nine apps were examined (14 diary apps, 15 relaxation apps).
• Of the diary applications, 79% (11/14) had visible privacy policies.
• Of the diary apps with privacy policies, all (11/11) stated whether or not the app collects and stores information remotely.
• A total of 55% (6/11) stated that some user data were used to serve targeted advertisements.
• A total of 11/15 (73%) of the relaxation apps had privacy policies.

Minen MT, Stieglitz EJ, Sciortino R, Torous J. Privacy issues in smartphone applications: An analysis of headache/migraine applications. [Published online ahead of print July 4, 2018]. Headache. doi:10.1111/head.13341.

Headache smartphone applications (apps) shared information with third parties, posing privacy risks partly because there are few legal protections against the sale or disclosure of data from medical apps to third parties. This is according to a recent study that sought to assess whether there are privacy issues surrounding apps and the potential privacy implications of how the app companies (and other third parties) might use that information. Researchers conducted a systematic search of the most popular “headache” and “migraine” apps and developed a database of the types of data the apps requested for input by the user, and whether the apps had clear privacy policies. They also examined the content of the privacy policies and found:

• Twenty-nine apps were examined (14 diary apps, 15 relaxation apps).
• Of the diary applications, 79% (11/14) had visible privacy policies.
• Of the diary apps with privacy policies, all (11/11) stated whether or not the app collects and stores information remotely.
• A total of 55% (6/11) stated that some user data were used to serve targeted advertisements.
• A total of 11/15 (73%) of the relaxation apps had privacy policies.

Minen MT, Stieglitz EJ, Sciortino R, Torous J. Privacy issues in smartphone applications: An analysis of headache/migraine applications. [Published online ahead of print July 4, 2018]. Headache. doi:10.1111/head.13341.

Less than one-third of eligible migraineurs were referred for behavioral treatment and only about half initiated behavioral migraine treatment in a recent prospective cohort study. Researchers compared patients who initiated behavioral migraine treatment following a provider recommendation with those who did not (demographics, migraine characteristics, and locus of control) with analysis of variance and chi-square tests. They found:

• Of the 234 eligible patients, 69 (29.5%) were referred for behavioral treatment.
• 53 (76.8%) patients referred for behavioral treatment were reached by phone.
• The mean duration from time of referral to follow-up was 76 (median 76, SD=45) days.
• 30 (56.6%) patients initiated behavioral migraine treatment.
• There was no difference in initiation of behavioral migraine treatment with regard to sex, age, age of diagnosis, years suffered with headaches, health care utilization visits, Migraine Disability Assessment Screen, and locus of control.
• Patients who had previously seen a psychologist for migraine were more likely to initiate behavioral migraine treatment than patients who had not.
• Time constraints were the most common barrier cited for not initiating behavioral migraine treatment.

Factors related to migraine patients’ decisions to initiate behavioral migraine treatment following a headache specialist’s recommendation: A prospective observational study. [Published online ahead of print June 5, 2018]. Pain Medicine. doi:10.1093/pm/pny028.

Less than one-third of eligible migraineurs were referred for behavioral treatment and only about half initiated behavioral migraine treatment in a recent prospective cohort study. Researchers compared patients who initiated behavioral migraine treatment following a provider recommendation with those who did not (demographics, migraine characteristics, and locus of control) with analysis of variance and chi-square tests. They found:

• Of the 234 eligible patients, 69 (29.5%) were referred for behavioral treatment.
• 53 (76.8%) patients referred for behavioral treatment were reached by phone.
• The mean duration from time of referral to follow-up was 76 (median 76, SD=45) days.
• 30 (56.6%) patients initiated behavioral migraine treatment.
• There was no difference in initiation of behavioral migraine treatment with regard to sex, age, age of diagnosis, years suffered with headaches, health care utilization visits, Migraine Disability Assessment Screen, and locus of control.
• Patients who had previously seen a psychologist for migraine were more likely to initiate behavioral migraine treatment than patients who had not.
• Time constraints were the most common barrier cited for not initiating behavioral migraine treatment.

Factors related to migraine patients’ decisions to initiate behavioral migraine treatment following a headache specialist’s recommendation: A prospective observational study. [Published online ahead of print June 5, 2018]. Pain Medicine. doi:10.1093/pm/pny028.

Less than one-third of eligible migraineurs were referred for behavioral treatment and only about half initiated behavioral migraine treatment in a recent prospective cohort study. Researchers compared patients who initiated behavioral migraine treatment following a provider recommendation with those who did not (demographics, migraine characteristics, and locus of control) with analysis of variance and chi-square tests. They found:

• Of the 234 eligible patients, 69 (29.5%) were referred for behavioral treatment.
• 53 (76.8%) patients referred for behavioral treatment were reached by phone.
• The mean duration from time of referral to follow-up was 76 (median 76, SD=45) days.
• 30 (56.6%) patients initiated behavioral migraine treatment.
• There was no difference in initiation of behavioral migraine treatment with regard to sex, age, age of diagnosis, years suffered with headaches, health care utilization visits, Migraine Disability Assessment Screen, and locus of control.
• Patients who had previously seen a psychologist for migraine were more likely to initiate behavioral migraine treatment than patients who had not.
• Time constraints were the most common barrier cited for not initiating behavioral migraine treatment.

Factors related to migraine patients’ decisions to initiate behavioral migraine treatment following a headache specialist’s recommendation: A prospective observational study. [Published online ahead of print June 5, 2018]. Pain Medicine. doi:10.1093/pm/pny028.