Beyond the Device Webinar

Beyond the Device:

How Social Determinants Shape Wearable Use and Data Sharing

Webinar

March 4, 2026

10AM - 11AM

Open to all: Join us for a lecture from
Drs. Jens Jespersen and Julie Miller-Cribbs

Wearable health technologies are frequently evaluated through adoption, usability, and behavioral outcomes, often treating technology use as an individual-level choice. Drawing on preliminary findings from a mixed-methods study of adult wearable users, this talk examines how social determinants of health shape patterns of wearable engagement and health data sharing with providers and researchers. Quantitative analyses explore associations between wearable use, data sharing behaviors, and sociodemographic factors, including income, education, insurance status, and health literacy. Qualitative findings contextualize these patterns, highlighting how trust in healthcare systems, prior experiences of dismissal or harm, and perceptions of surveillance influence decisions about data use and disclosure.

Jens Jespersen, PhD

Dr. Jens Jespersen is a Research Scientist at the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, working at the Center for Integrative Research on Childhood Adversity. In 2022 he received his doctorate in Human Development and Family Science from OSU with an emphasis in infant mental health. His research background is centered around how early relationships and experiences influence social and emotional development in infants and young children, and how protective factors influence child and family development and functioning in the context of early adversity. Dr. Jespersen is also involved in mixed-methods work evaluating various parenting, health, and education programs across the State of Oklahoma.

Julie Miller-Cribbs, MSW, PhD

Julie joined the faculty in 2006 as Assistant Director of the School and was later appointed Director, a position she held until returning to a faculty role in 2024. She currently serves as the Oklahoma Medicaid Endowed Professor in Mental Health, with research centered on trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and their effects on health and well-being. Her work is interdisciplinary, involving active collaboration with faculty in the School of Community Medicine, nursing, and allied health. A Tulsa native, Julie is committed to research that addresses Oklahoma’s unique social challenges and contributes to meaningful local impact.

Beyond her academic endeavors, Julie enjoys traveling with friends and family, watching birds and whales, and engaging in a variety of hobbies. Her husband, Harry, is a public high school teacher. They have two children: Carly, a social worker and OU alumna, and Cole, a musician living in Seattle.

In this lecture, you will learn how to:

Describe how social determinants of health are associated with wearable engagement and data-sharing behaviors in a mixed-methods sample.

Interpret quantitative patterns of wearable data sharing in light of qualitative evidence on trust, safety, and prior healthcare experiences.

Critically assess individual-level explanations commonly used in wearable and digital health research.

Identify methodological implications for future research on wearable technologies, including measurement, sampling, and interpretation of data-sharing behaviors.