Navigating Stress Data Sharing: Guardrails for Effective Physiological Data Sharing in High-Stress Training Environments

Abstract

Research indicates that individuals are eager to share stress data for reflection and support. Critically, this highlights the need for guardrails to ensure that physiological data sharing enhances well-being without compromising privacy, security, or autonomy. To explore this, we leveraged a Stress Reflection system, which allows open-sharing of stress data within a high-stress paramedic training environment focused on collaboration. Our study aimed to identify paramedic trainees’ potential concerns to place necessary guardrails for safe data sharing; however, our findings revealed that participants generally expressed few concerns, if any, and instead had far-reaching ideas about the potential benefits. In other words, participants did not understand the gravity of how information could do harm. With this in mind, we present this overexuberance for information, sharing alongside it voiced concerns to outline where guardrails should be implemented, ensuring support while protecting participants in ways they may not fully recognize.