Securing User Information with mHealth Technology: Data Encryption & More - Essay Sample

Introduction

mHealth technology has various security features including the ability to allow users to update or delete personal information and hence ensuring that they have control of the information they share. Another feature of mHealth technology is data encryption, which follows security procedures and practices (Snell, 2017). In this case, the user information may be stored in electronic form for improving the sale of the products. Data encryption also sees to it that breached data will not be useful to unauthorized persons. The technology is also characterized by a privacy policy. However, the biggest threat to this technology is user authentication, which is a serious threat to the privacy of user information.

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Potential Privacy Breaches for mHealth Technologies

Despite its potential in research, mHealth technologies are characterized by insufficient privacy features. The aspects of security and privacy is still a continuous concern for researchers in mHealth technologies, particularly in scopes concerning sensitive behavior or treatment such as substance abuse. In such an area of treatment, both the sensitivity of data is a concern for privacy and security, as well as the amount of data collected. (Snell, 2017) maintains that 80% of the samples used in the research have no privacy policy, which allows data to be easily shared with other people. Furthermore, according to (Snell, 2017) there is no privacy measure for mobile applications created for patients suffering from dementia.

Biggest Privacy Implication Facing mHealth Technologies

According to (Your Mobile Device and Health Information Privacy and Security (2017), the biggest privacy implication facing mHealth technologies is the lack of technology to secure patient data, which is as a result of rapid technological advances that enable hackers to access health information. mHealth technologies like many other organizations do not have adequate expertise to secure patient data and hence do not address demonstrated cyber vulnerabilities in medical devices.

Features and Methodologies to Secure Health Information

Securing and protecting health information when using mHealth devices would need developing systems that allow participants to have control of the data they share. For instance, there can be a simple checklist of potential data points to be considered before data is collected (Arora et al., 2017). As a result, the data to be shared becomes a personal responsibility and decision. Besides, a content-aware system can help change the privacy options based on aspects like the location.

Benefits of mHealth technology Outweigh the Security Issues

From the readings,( Kotz et al., 2016) I am convinced that the advantages of mHealth technology exceed the privacy issues. The use of mHealth mobile applications in various countries has helped to reduce the burden of the increasing costs of health care as long as users are not subjected to cybersecurity attacks. Besides, mHealth technology has the potential of enhancing the quality of care and make healthcare services accessible even remotely.

References

Arora, S., Yttri, J., & Nilse, W. (2014). Privacy and Security in Mobile Health (mHealth) Research. Alcohol research : current reviews, 36(1), 143–151. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4432854/

Kotz, D., Gunter, C. A., Kumar, S., & Weiner, J. P. (2016). Privacy and Security in Mobile Health: A Research Agenda. Computer, 49(6), 22–30. https://doi.org/10.1109/MC.2016.185

Your Mobile Device and Health Information Privacy and Security (2017, June 19). Health IT Security. Retrieved June 03, 2020, from https://archive.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/your-mobile-device-and-health-information-privacy-and-security

Snell, E. (2017, June 19). How Weak Mobile Health App Privacy, Security Affects Patients. Health IT Security. Retrieved June 03, 2020, from https://healthitsecurity.com/news/how-weak-mobile-health-app-privacy-security-affects-patients