The Journal of mHealth Vol 1 Issue 6 (Dec 2014) | Page 11

Industry News
osseointegration to create a long-term stable fusion between
man and machine, where we have integrated them at different
levels. The artificial arm is directly attached to the skeleton, thus
providing mechanical stability. Then the human's biological control system, that is nerves and muscles, is also interfaced to the

machine's control system.
"Reliable communication between the prosthesis and the body
has been the missing link for clinical implementation of neural
control and sensory feedback, and this is now in place." n

UK Research Highlights Public
Demand for Health Technology to
Combat Obesity Epidemic
Findings from the first AXA PPP Health Tech & You State of
the Nation survey have revealed the attitudes of the UK public
towards health technology and how obesity is the number one
public health concern that needs to be tackled using health technologies during the next 12 months.
During a keynote speech at the AXA PPP Health Tech & You
Forum at the Design Museum in London, George Freeman MP,
Life Sciences Minister, highlighted that even though cancer and
heart disease cause the most deaths in the UK each year, obesity,
by far, is the health condition people surveyed online are most
looking to technology to address and solve during the next 12
months. The survey showed that 57 per cent of respondents
were most concerned with tackling obesity as compared to Diabetes (15 per cent), Cancer (9 per cent) and Heart Disease (8
per cent).
George Freeman MP, commented: “These findings are a wakeup call about the importance of digital health tech in combating
the rising burden of chronic disease through earlier diagnosis,
better treatment and reduced hospital stays. With today’s patients
hungry for additional support via apps, monitoring devices and
other health technology solutions, we need to ensure that the
NHS is working together with patients to accelerate access to
modern health technology.”
The survey also revealed that 43 per cent of people believe that
the NHS should provide health technology free of charge to
help people improve their overall health.
The report surveyed over 2,000 individuals to gain their views
towards the health technology revolution and how the country
believes the impact that apps, devices and gadgets have on our
nation’s health.
Additional key findings include:
»» 44 per cent of respondents think that health technologies
could help them manage a long term health condition
»» Nearly half of respondents (48%) live in a household
that contains someone with a long term health condition
»» Over the next five years respondents feel the most commonly used health technologies will be pedometers (23 per
cent), wristband/watch (22 per cent) and fitness related
smartphone apps (18 per cent)

The age group most open to health technology are aged
between 18 and 44. 42 per cent of 18-44 year olds agreed that
health technology would positively impact their health if they
used it regularly. This is in comparison to those aged 45-54 (30
per cent) and 55+ (23 per cent)
AXA PPP Health Tech & You is a joint initiative of AXA PPP
Healthcare, 2020Health and the Design Museum, in an attempt
to put the health technology revolution into a wider context for
the benefit of patients and consumers: to look at how it can
change lives and society, from the detail of wearable health technology to the treatment of long-term conditions.
James Freeston, Marketing Director, AXA PPP healthcare,
states, “Nothing could be more personal than your own health.
We and our Health Tech & You partners believe personal health
technology is the new age, giving more control to consumers
to live healthier and more active lives. This new research clearly
demonstrates the public demand for heal F