Apple Expands Health Research with Longitudinal Study

The study will be available through Apple’s Research app, where participants can engage virtually and provide health data that could offer new insights into physical, mental, and social health.

Tech giant Apple has unveiled a new large-scale, longitudinal study to leverage its devices, including the Apple Watch, iPhone, and AirPods, alongside third-party devices to monitor health changes across various conditions.

The study will be available through Apple’s Research app, where participants can engage virtually and provide health data that could offer new insights into physical, mental, and social health.

This study builds upon Apple’s earlier medical research, which focused on monitoring cardiovascular health, mobility, hearing, and women’s health. Apple’s expansion into a broader range of health areas aims to detect and monitor health conditions before they become more serious, providing a preventative approach to healthcare.

“Research and validation are part of the foundation of all of our work in health, supporting the innovative features we bring to our users across devices. We’re thrilled to bring forward the Apple Health Study, which will only accelerate our understanding of health and technology across the human body, both physically and mentally,” Dr Sumbul Desai, Vice President of Health at Apple, stated.

New Areas of Focus

The Apple Health Study aims to explore how different factors, such as hearing health, mental health, and sleep, affect each other and overall well-being.

Researchers are particularly interested in detecting changes in hearing health as a potential indicator of cognitive decline and exploring how mental health can influence physical health, including heart rate and mobility.

“We’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of how technology can improve our understanding of human health. We are excited to be part of the Apple Health Study, as it will continue to explore connections across different areas of health using technology that so many people carry with them every day,” said Dr Calum MacRae, Principal Investigator at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Expanding Collaborations to Further Health Insights

Apple has teamed up with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a prominent Harvard Medical School affiliate, to ensure robust scientific research in the study.

This collaboration aims to study diverse health and disease areas, including cardiovascular health, aging, and sleep.

Since launching the Research app, Apple has gained valuable insights into underexplored health areas such as menstrual and hearing health. As Apple continues to expand its research efforts, the company aims to build on these findings to develop new products and health tools for users.