Physical activity monitoring data following disasters

Abstract

• Physical activity monitoring app data provide novel insights following disasters • Analysis revealed different changes and trends in activity across time and areas • Data offer extensive coverage and fine granularity in geospatial and temporal scale • Challenges include privacy concerns and representation of different subpopulations This study explored the feasibility of using physical activity monitoring app data to track trends and changes in physical activity in a large-scale geographical region following disasters. Strava Metro is a commercial data service that anonymizes, aggregates, and provides activity data (e.g., cycling and running) from Strava app users worldwide. We analyzed the Strava Metro data from Harris County in Texas, USA, impacted by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Our analysis revealed different changes and trends in physical activity across time (i.e., before and after the hurricane landfall) and areas (i.e., flooded vs. unflooded). This study provides insights into the value of physical activity monitoring data in supporting disaster management and highlights opportunities and challenges related to the data source.