Enhancing Women's Health: An Assessment of Data Privacy and Security of Menopause FemTech Applications

Stud Health Technol Inform. 2023 Oct 20:309:155-159. doi: 10.3233/SHTI230765.

Abstract

Menopausal women increasingly rely on FemTech apps to manage their symptoms, as mobile applications can provide a convenient and easily accessible health solution. However, this scoping review and content analysis of 14 menopause apps available on Google Play in the European Union found that most applications categorisation is not aligning with their features as well as lack adequate data privacy and security sufficiency. Thereby sensitive health data of menopausal women are put at risk, highlighting the need for collaborative efforts between developers and regulators to implement effective and achievable data protection practices to enhance menopausal women's data safely.

Keywords: EU General Data Protection Regulation; FemTech; Menopause; Mobile Health; Women’s health.

MeSH terms

  • Computer Security
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Menopause
  • Mobile Applications*
  • Privacy*
  • Women's Health