Digital health technologies have attracted much attention in recent years, particularly with the rapid growth in mobile phone apps, wearable technologies, virtual reality, and other digital tools to manage many aspects of our health. Many of these technologies are being adopted by schools, parents, coaches, health professionals and others as tools to encourage young people to adopt healthy lifestyles.

While there is huge potential for digital health technologies to improve health care, there remain many pressing questions about their adoption, particularly in terms of data sensitivity, privacy, security, and ownership. The regulation of products and services is still mostly unresolved for many applications, and we know little about how people make sense of their health and their own bodies/minds through such technologies.

This event will address the issues surrounding the future of digital health care. Designed with the needs of individuals who work within the healthcare sector and young people in mind, it will focus on the impact of digital health technologies on young people’s health and wellbeing. You will be given the opportunity to learn about key trends in digital technology, which will affect your practice over the next 10 years and hear evidence of how young people understand and use digital health technology and how this might impact their identities and health behaviours.

The conference is hosted as part of the Wellcome Trust funded project The Digital Health Generation: The impact of ‘healthy lifestyle’ technologies on young people’s learning, identities and health practices which is a collaborative research programme by the University of Bath, University of Salford, and the University of Canberra. Visit the project website to find out more.

What to expect on the day

The event will report on the two-year research project funded by the Wellcome Trust investigating young people’s experiences and views of digital health technologies and the impact on their health and wellbeing. We will share evidence from research with over 1,000 young people and from interviews with parents and discuss the issues for health practice, challenges and consider future directions for young people and digital health.

You will have the opportunity to:

• attend a panel discussion with leading experts in the field
• hear from the NHS apps and wearable team about what NHS Digital is doing, along with its newly launched Apps Library, and work towards identifying solutions for guidance on digital adoption
• visit the exhibitions of digital health technologies (from app developers) and research

A full programme of activities will be made available soon. Free lunch and refreshments are provided.

If you can't make the whole day, you are welcome pop in at any time throughout the day.

Who is this event designed for?

This event is suited for individuals who:

• have a responsibility for young people’s health
• work within the healthcare sector, as clinicians, support services, or research teams
• work directly with young people in a variety of settings, such as schools or clubs

Accessibility

The Apex Hotel is fully accessible by wheelchair.