Insights + interviews
OSIM Wellness Survey respondents say devices help better manage well-being
OSIM Wellness Survey 2021 assessed the acceptance of smart wellness technology amidst the pandemic and its impact on user health and well-being.
The OSIM Wellness Survey 2021 survey found that 97.1 percent of smart device owners report that their devices have helped them better manage their overall well-being.
Specifically, smart devices proved useful as a reminder to practice good habits (58.9 percent), inculcate better habits (56 percent) and provided easier access to individual health and wellness metrics (46.9 percent).
This has contributed to about nearly 1 in 9 (88.5 percent) respondents reporting an improvement in their overall sense of well-being from the use of smart devices.
The survey also showed that smart wellness technology devices includes more than just smartphones, smartwatches and mobile apps. Respondents named smart massage chairs (23.3 percent), smart beds (12.1 percent) and smart clothing (12 percent) as belonging to the same category.
This is the second year that the OSIM Wellness Survey was conducted. The survey was facilitated online to a total of 419 persons, to a respondent pool broadly representative of the general working population in Singapore.
Today, well-being has become more measurable than before – driven by the wellness technologies that are increasingly being integrated into our lives. OSIM has always believed in the integration of tech into health and wellness devices, so that we can better measure, monitor and manage our wellness indicators.
Ms Lynn Tan, Deputy CEO of OSIM International
You can only make changes if you measure what can be changed
Respondents were asked about pain points they experienced and what could be done to address these concerns, relating to their smart device and the delivery of health and wellness benefits.
Some concerns respondents had raised included the accuracy of statistics (42.1 percent), smart devices not having enough smart features (39.2 percent), and data privacy (34.4 percent).
When specifically asked about the features they would like to see in their smart devices, respondents shared the following list:
- More accurate measurements of their health statistics (55.6 percent)
- More user-friendly features (55.1 percent)
- More in-depth data about their state of wellness (47.7 percent)
- Functions that can actively help them address their health and wellness issues (43.9 percent) such as through personalised recommendations and programmes
Making smart device purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic
Almost all (95.4 percent) of smart device owners agreed that being able to proactively manage their health and wellness with their smart devices is especially important now during the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than half (52.2 percent) of the respondents indicated that they had made the decision to purchase smart devices during the pandemic to proactively take care of their overall wellness.
Reasons for their purchase included being more concerned about their physical health (68.8 percent), overall well-being (66.1 percent), and wanting to inculcate better habits to deal with the pandemic (33 percent).
As individuals continue spending more time at home, the survey results indicate that a notable number of consumers are already looking at managing well-being holistically. Many are starting from home, building an ecosystem that integrates with their work and play. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased our collective awareness of health and well-being.
Ms Lynn Tan, Deputy CEO of OSIM International
