Demographic ageing poses significant challenges to healthcare systems, intensifying the pressure on infrastructures and human resources. It is estimated that by 2050 the elderly population will exceed 2 billion people, making it imperative to implement innovative solutions to ensure effective and sustainable care. Assistive technologies play a fundamental role in promoting the autonomy and quality of life of the elderly population, enabling remote health monitoring and the delivery of personalized care. Among these, AAL systems stand out as a promising approach, integrating sensors, wearable devices and artificial intelligence for continuous monitoring of physiological and behavioural parameters. However, the effectiveness of these solutions depends on collecting and processing large volumes of sensitive data, including clinical information, activity patterns and geolocation, which also drives the monetization of tailored care, raising critical privacy and security concerns.
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THE CHALLENGES OF DATA PROTECTION IN DIGITAL HEALTH PLATFORMS FOR THE ELDERLY
Publication type: Article Summary
Original title: Data Protection in Elderly Health Care Platforms
Article publication date: 2018
Source: Repositório da Universidade do Minho
Authors: Ângelo Costa, Aliaksandra Yelshyna, Teresa Coelho Moreira, Francisco Carneiro Pacheco Andrade, Vicente Julián & Paulo Novais
What is the goal, target audience, and areas of digital health it addresses?
The study aims to analyse the challenges of data protection in a healthcare platform for the elderly, focused on an Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) system, exploring privacy and security risks, regulatory limitations and the technological solutions needed to ensure compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The target audience includes professionals and organizations working at the intersection of technology, health and data protection, namely digital health specialists, researchers, regulators and nursing home managers. The study covers areas of digital health such as data protection, cybersecurity and the regulation of assistive technologies.
What is the context?
Demographic ageing poses significant challenges to healthcare systems, intensifying the pressure on infrastructures and human resources. It is estimated that by 2050 the elderly population will exceed 2 billion people, making it imperative to implement innovative solutions to ensure effective and sustainable care.
Assistive technologies play a fundamental role in promoting the autonomy and quality of life of the elderly population, enabling remote health monitoring and the delivery of personalized care. Among these, AAL systems stand out as a promising approach, integrating sensors, wearable devices and artificial intelligence for continuous monitoring of physiological and behavioural parameters. However, the effectiveness of these solutions depends on collecting and processing large volumes of sensitive data, including clinical information, activity patterns and geolocation, which also drives the monetization of tailored care, raising critical privacy and security concerns.
Low digital literacy among the elderly exacerbates vulnerability to inappropriate data sharing practices, while the exchange of information between healthcare providers and insurers, amplifies the risks of unauthorized access. Thus, ensuring compliance with the GDPR and other regulations is essential to mitigate these challenges. However, data protection is compromised by the lack of standardization in the implementation of security measures such as encryption and anonymization and by the lack of effective oversight mechanisms.
What are the current approaches?
Currently, various technological and regulatory approaches have been implemented to strengthen data privacy and security in mobile applications for the elderly. Principles such as privacy by design and privacy by default guarantee configurations that prioritize user protection, minimizing data collection and increasing transparency in its use.
The implementation of advanced encryption and anonymization techniques reduces the risk of unauthorized access and user re-identification, especially when data is shared for research purposes. In addition, authentication mechanisms and access controls — such as multifactor authentication, biometrics and digital tokens — mitigate vulnerabilities associated with cyber threats such as phishing, a type of attack that uses fraudulent communications to trick users into obtaining sensitive information such as access credentials and financial data.
In the regulatory field, in addition to complying with the GDPR, specific regulations for digital health applications establish strict compliance and certification requirements. Despite the advances, the challenge of balancing security with usability remains, especially for elderly people with low digital literacy, and given the technological limitations of less advanced devices.
What does study consist of? How is the impact assessed?
This study analyzed the legal and technical limitations of data protection in mobile applications for the elderly, using the iGenda project, a cognitive assistant in the AAL area, as a case study. The aim was to analyse the application of current regulations, identify barriers and propose solutions to ensure a balance between security, privacy and usability.
The research assessed the data protection mechanisms implemented in iGenda, such as anonymization, encryption, secure authentication and permission management, verifying their compliance with regulations such as the GDPR. In addition, specific challenges faced by the elderly were analysed, including difficulties with multifactor authentication and risks associated with cyberattacks.
The impact was assessed using a multidimensional approach, combining technical and regulatory criteria with the perceptions of elderly users. Usability tests were carried out and questionnaires applied to understand older people’s perceptions of the system’s security and the challenges in using protection mechanisms. Accessibility and digital inclusion indicators were considered to ensure a balance between data protection and ease of use.
What are the main results? What is the impact of these results? What is the future of these technologies?
The study revealed that despite the implementation of security mechanisms, data protection challenges persist in mobile applications for the elderly. Compliance with the GDPR is often jeopardized by difficulties in managing permissions and the complexity of authentication systems, especially for users with low digital literacy. In addition, older people’s perception of security significantly influences their acceptance of technology, highlighting the need for more intuitive and adapted solutions.
In this way, the results emphasized the need for more specific regulations for assistive technologies and data protection in the elderly population. The complexity of security mechanisms can lead to rejection of the technology, and the development of more accessible solutions is essential. Vulnerabilities associated with the re-identification of anonymized data and exposure to cyber threats such as phishing have been identified.
In the future, it is hoped that the evolution of these assistive technologies will involve the development of adaptive security mechanisms that reconcile data protection and accessibility. Solutions such as behaviour-based authentication and more intuitive interfaces could make it easier for the elderly to interact with digital platforms. In addition, advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning could optimize permission management and personalize the user experience.
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Home / Publications / Publication
THE CHALLENGES OF DATA PROTECTION IN DIGITAL HEALTH PLATFORMS FOR THE ELDERLY
Publication type: Article Summary
Original title: Data Protection in Elderly Health Care Platforms
Article publication date: 2018
Source: Repositório da Universidade do Minho
Authors: Ângelo Costa, Aliaksandra Yelshyna, Teresa Coelho Moreira, Francisco Carneiro Pacheco Andrade, Vicente Julián & Paulo Novais
What is the goal, target audience, and areas of digital health it addresses?
The study aims to analyse the challenges of data protection in a healthcare platform for the elderly, focused on an Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) system, exploring privacy and security risks, regulatory limitations and the technological solutions needed to ensure compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The target audience includes professionals and organizations working at the intersection of technology, health and data protection, namely digital health specialists, researchers, regulators and nursing home managers. The study covers areas of digital health such as data protection, cybersecurity and the regulation of assistive technologies.
What is the context?
Demographic ageing poses significant challenges to healthcare systems, intensifying the pressure on infrastructures and human resources. It is estimated that by 2050 the elderly population will exceed 2 billion people, making it imperative to implement innovative solutions to ensure effective and sustainable care.
Assistive technologies play a fundamental role in promoting the autonomy and quality of life of the elderly population, enabling remote health monitoring and the delivery of personalized care. Among these, AAL systems stand out as a promising approach, integrating sensors, wearable devices and artificial intelligence for continuous monitoring of physiological and behavioural parameters. However, the effectiveness of these solutions depends on collecting and processing large volumes of sensitive data, including clinical information, activity patterns and geolocation, which also drives the monetization of tailored care, raising critical privacy and security concerns.
Low digital literacy among the elderly exacerbates vulnerability to inappropriate data sharing practices, while the exchange of information between healthcare providers and insurers, amplifies the risks of unauthorized access. Thus, ensuring compliance with the GDPR and other regulations is essential to mitigate these challenges. However, data protection is compromised by the lack of standardization in the implementation of security measures such as encryption and anonymization and by the lack of effective oversight mechanisms.
What are the current approaches?
Currently, various technological and regulatory approaches have been implemented to strengthen data privacy and security in mobile applications for the elderly. Principles such as privacy by design and privacy by default guarantee configurations that prioritize user protection, minimizing data collection and increasing transparency in its use.
The implementation of advanced encryption and anonymization techniques reduces the risk of unauthorized access and user re-identification, especially when data is shared for research purposes. In addition, authentication mechanisms and access controls — such as multifactor authentication, biometrics and digital tokens — mitigate vulnerabilities associated with cyber threats such as phishing, a type of attack that uses fraudulent communications to trick users into obtaining sensitive information such as access credentials and financial data.
In the regulatory field, in addition to complying with the GDPR, specific regulations for digital health applications establish strict compliance and certification requirements. Despite the advances, the challenge of balancing security with usability remains, especially for elderly people with low digital literacy, and given the technological limitations of less advanced devices.
What does study consist of? How is the impact assessed?
This study analyzed the legal and technical limitations of data protection in mobile applications for the elderly, using the iGenda project, a cognitive assistant in the AAL area, as a case study. The aim was to analyse the application of current regulations, identify barriers and propose solutions to ensure a balance between security, privacy and usability.
The research assessed the data protection mechanisms implemented in iGenda, such as anonymization, encryption, secure authentication and permission management, verifying their compliance with regulations such as the GDPR. In addition, specific challenges faced by the elderly were analysed, including difficulties with multifactor authentication and risks associated with cyberattacks.
The impact was assessed using a multidimensional approach, combining technical and regulatory criteria with the perceptions of elderly users. Usability tests were carried out and questionnaires applied to understand older people’s perceptions of the system’s security and the challenges in using protection mechanisms. Accessibility and digital inclusion indicators were considered to ensure a balance between data protection and ease of use.
What are the main results? What is the impact of these results? What is the future of these technologies?
The study revealed that despite the implementation of security mechanisms, data protection challenges persist in mobile applications for the elderly. Compliance with the GDPR is often jeopardized by difficulties in managing permissions and the complexity of authentication systems, especially for users with low digital literacy. In addition, older people’s perception of security significantly influences their acceptance of technology, highlighting the need for more intuitive and adapted solutions.
In this way, the results emphasized the need for more specific regulations for assistive technologies and data protection in the elderly population. The complexity of security mechanisms can lead to rejection of the technology, and the development of more accessible solutions is essential. Vulnerabilities associated with the re-identification of anonymized data and exposure to cyber threats such as phishing have been identified.
In the future, it is hoped that the evolution of these assistive technologies will involve the development of adaptive security mechanisms that reconcile data protection and accessibility. Solutions such as behaviour-based authentication and more intuitive interfaces could make it easier for the elderly to interact with digital platforms. In addition, advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning could optimize permission management and personalize the user experience.
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