{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,3]],"date-time":"2026-07-03T17:27:13Z","timestamp":1783099633703,"version":"3.54.6"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"JMIR Publications Inc.","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JMIR Mhealth Uhealth"],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Pulse oximeter apps became of interest to consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly when traditional over-the-counter pulse oximeter devices were in short supply. Yet, no study to date has examined or scoped the state of privacy policies and notices for the top-rated and most downloaded pulse oximeter apps during COVID-19.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objective<\/jats:title>\n The aim of this study was to examine, through a high-level qualitative assessment, the state and nature of privacy policies for the downloaded and top-rated pulse oximeter apps during the COVID-19 pandemic to (1) compare findings against comparable research involving other mobile health (mHealth) apps and (2) begin discussions on opportunities for future research or investigation.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n During August-October 2020, privacy policies were reviewed for pulse oximeter apps that had either at least 500 downloads (Google Play Store apps only) or a three out of five-star rating (Apple Store apps only). In addition to determining if the apps had an accessible privacy policy, other key privacy policy\u2013related details that were extracted included, but were not limited to, app developer location (country); whether the app was free or required paid use\/subscription; whether an ads disclosure was provided on the app\u2019s site; the scope of personal data collected; proportionality, fundamental rights, and data protection and privacy issues; and privacy safeguards.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n Six pulse oximeter apps met the inclusion criteria and only 33% (n=2) of the six apps had an accessible privacy policy that was specific to the pulse oximeter app feature (vs the app developer\u2019s website or at all). Variation was found in both the regulatory nature and data privacy protections offered by pulse oximeter apps, with notable privacy protection limitations and gaps, although each app provided at least some information about the scope of personal data collected upon installing the app.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n Pulse oximeter app developers should invest in offering stronger privacy protections for their app users, and should provide more accessible and transparent privacy policies. This is a necessary first step to ensure that the data privacy of mHealth consumers is not exploited during public health emergency situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, where over-the-counter personal health monitoring devices could be in short supply and patients and consumers may, as a result, turn to mHealth apps to fill such supply gaps. Future research considerations and recommendations are also suggested for mHealth technology and privacy researchers who are interested in examining privacy implications associated with the use of pulse oximeter apps during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.2196\/30361","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,3]],"date-time":"2021-12-03T16:48:35Z","timestamp":1638550115000},"page":"e30361","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Pulse Oximeter App Privacy Policies During COVID-19: Scoping Assessment"],"prefix":"10.2196","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3390-2583","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rachele","family":"Hendricks-Sturrup","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1010","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","unstructured":"PlantMDoes your health app protect your sensitive info?Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information202101132021-08-04https:\/\/www.consumer.ftc.gov\/blog\/2021\/01\/does-your-health-app-protect-your-sensitive-info"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/head.13341"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/16146"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/mhealth.9871"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.invent.2018.12.001"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1715163516680226"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/17134"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jagp.2017.04.009"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/embc.2014.6944736"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/18868"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ACCESS.2018.2799522"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2019.2542"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/mhealth.9217"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/amiajnl-2013-002605"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10916-018-1002-x"},{"key":"ref16","unstructured":"KhalidAPulse oximeters are selling out because of the pandemicQuartz2021-04-28https:\/\/qz.com\/1832464\/pulse-oximeters-for-coronavirus-unnecessary-but-selling-strong\/"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/20596"},{"key":"ref18","unstructured":"Pulse Oximeters - Premarket Notification Submissions 510(k)s: Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration StaffFood and Drug Administration20132021-08-04https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/regulatory-information\/search-fda-guidance-documents\/pulse-oximeters-premarket-notification-submissions-510ks-guidance-industry-and-food-and-drug"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chest.2020.08.2104"},{"key":"ref20","unstructured":"TarassenkoLGreenhalghTQuestion: Should smartphone apps be used clinically as oximeters? Answer: NoThe Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine202004012021-08-04https:\/\/www.cebm.net\/covid-19\/question-should-smartphone-apps-be-used-as-oximeters-answer-no\/"},{"key":"ref21","unstructured":"PeachmanRPeople Concerned About COVID-19 Are Using Pulse Oximeters to Measure Oxygen Levels. These Are the Pros and ConsPeople Concerned About COVID-19 Are Using Pulse Oximeters to Measure Oxygen Levels2021-04-28https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/medical-symptoms\/covid-19-pulse-oximeters-oxygen-levels-faq\/"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMc2029240"},{"key":"ref23","unstructured":"FPF charts the role of mobile apps in pandemic responseFuture of Privacy Forum202004032021-11-11https:\/\/fpf.org\/blog\/fpf-charts-the-role-of-mobile-apps-in-pandemic-response-chart\/"},{"key":"ref24","unstructured":"OxyCare - (pulse oximeter) - apps on Google PlayGoogle2021-04-28https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.berry_med.oxycare&hl=en_US&gl=US"},{"key":"ref25","unstructured":"Privacy policyPVDAPPS2021-04-28http:\/\/privacy.pvdapps.com\/privacy.html"},{"key":"ref26","unstructured":"World Summits privacy policyWorldSummits2021-04-28http:\/\/worldsummits.net\/Legal\/Privacy_en-EN.aspx"},{"key":"ref27","unstructured":"oxxiom user guidetrue wearables2021-04-28https:\/\/www.truewearables.com\/img\/UserGuide.pdf"},{"key":"ref28","unstructured":"Privacy policyEMAY2021-04-28https:\/\/www.emayltd.com\/http-www-emayltd-com-index-php-Home-Index-wm-id-7.html"},{"key":"ref29","unstructured":"Privacy statementKenek Health Support Portal2021-04-28https:\/\/kenekhealth.freshdesk.com\/support\/solutions\/articles\/47000272334-privacy-statement"},{"key":"ref30","unstructured":"FPF mobile apps studyFuture of Privacy Forum2016082021-11-11https:\/\/fpf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/2016-FPF-Mobile-Apps-Study_final.pdf"},{"key":"ref31","unstructured":"WolfordBWriting a GDPR-compliant privacy notice (template included)GDPR2021-08-04https:\/\/gdpr.eu\/privacy-notice\/"}],"container-title":["JMIR mHealth and uHealth"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/mhealth.jmir.org\/2022\/1\/e30361","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,30]],"date-time":"2026-06-30T17:46:11Z","timestamp":1782841571000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/mhealth.jmir.org\/2022\/1\/e30361"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,27]]},"references-count":31,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2196\/30361","relation":{"has-preprint":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.2196\/preprints.30361","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["2291-5222"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2291-5222","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,27]]}}}