PainDA Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

PainDA is a research platform operated by:

2. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to participants enrolled in approved University of Haifa research studies using the PainDA application.

Participation is voluntary and requires informed consent approved by the relevant ethics committee.

3. Research Participation

Participation in PainDA research studies is entirely voluntary and is subject to informed consent approved by the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Research Ethics Committee.

Only individuals who have consented to participate in an approved research study may use the PainDA application.

4. Information We Collect

During participation in the study, PainDA may collect the following categories of information.

A. Information You Provide

This may include:

• Responses to ecological momentary assessment (EMA) questionnaires
• Pain ratings
• Mood assessments
• Stress assessments
• Anxiety assessments
• Daily symptom reports
• Baseline questionnaires
• Follow-up questionnaires
• Digital body-map questionnaires
• Optional free-text responses
• Demographic data

Only information required for the approved research protocol is collected.

B. Wearable Sensor Data

Where required by the approved research protocol and with the participant's explicit consent, the research team may collect wearable-derived physiological and activity data. Wearable tracking is conducted separately from the PainDA application. Participants may be asked to export the required data and securely share them with the research team.

Depending on the approved research protocol and the wearable device used, these data may include:

• Heart rate
• Resting heart rate
• Heart rate variability (HRV)
• Sleep sessions and sleep stages
• Physical activity and exercise sessions
• Step count and distance traveled
• Respiratory rate
• Skin temperature
• Other physiological measures explicitly included in the approved research protocol and informed consent form

The PainDA application does not access Google Health Connect.

C. Research Account Information

Each participant is provided with a dedicated research email account created specifically for participation in the study. This account is used exclusively for study-related activities and is separate from the participant's personal email account.

The dedicated research email account is used solely for study-related purposes. Access is limited to the participant and, where necessary for technical support or study procedures, authorized members of the research team.

PainDA may store information associated with the research account, including:

• The dedicated research email address
• An internal participant identifier
• Study enrollment information

Personal email accounts are not required for participation.

D. Technical Information

The application may automatically collect technical information necessary for secure operation, including:

• Device model
• Operating system version
• Application version
• Diagnostic information required for maintenance and troubleshooting

5. Why We Collect Information

The information collected is used exclusively to:

• Conduct scientific research
• Investigate chronic pain and mental health
• Study daily changes in symptoms and behavior
• Examine relationships between self-reported experiences and wearable physiological measures
• Improve data quality and research integrity
• Maintain the secure operation of the application

PainDA is not intended to diagnose, treat, or provide medical advice.

6. Legal Basis for Processing

PainDA processes personal information solely for scientific research purposes.

Information is collected and processed based on:

• The participant's informed consent
• Approval of the relevant research ethics committee
• Applicable laws and regulations governing scientific research

PainDA does not process participant information for advertising, marketing, profiling, or commercial purposes.

Personal information is processed only to the extent necessary to conduct the approved research study and fulfill applicable legal, ethical, and institutional obligations.

7. Data Sharing

Research data are accessible only to authorized members of the research team whose responsibilities require access for conducting, managing, or maintaining the approved research study.

PainDA does not sell personal information and does not share research data with advertisers or commercial organizations.

Where necessary, authorized service providers may process data solely for secure hosting or technical support on behalf of the University of Haifa and under appropriate contractual, confidentiality, and security obligations.

8. No Commercial Use of Research Data

Information collected through PainDA is used exclusively for approved scientific research conducted by the University of Haifa.

Research data are never sold, licensed, or used for advertising, marketing, or commercial profiling.

9. Data Storage and Security

Research data are stored using secure infrastructure hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS). PainDA implements administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect participant information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Technical implementation details, including encryption methods, infrastructure configuration, backup procedures, and hosting location, are maintained according to current security practices and may evolve to improve system security.

10. Data Retention

Research data are retained only for as long as necessary to fulfill the approved scientific and regulatory requirements of the research study.

Retention periods are determined according to University of Haifa policies, applicable laws, and approved research protocols. Research data are retained for the period approved by the University of Haifa Research Ethics Committee and in accordance with the approved research protocol and applicable regulations.

Once the applicable retention period has expired, identifiable research data will be securely deleted or anonymized in accordance with institutional policies and research regulations.

11. Data and Account Deletion Requests

Participants may request the deletion of their PainDA account and associated identifiable research data by sending an email to ipain@research.haifa.ac.il with the subject line PainDA Data Deletion Request.

To allow us to identify and verify the request, the email must include the dedicated research email address associated with the participant's PainDA account. Participants should not include medical or other sensitive information in the deletion request.

After the request has been verified, the participant's PainDA account and associated identifiable data will be deleted from active systems. We will acknowledge receipt of the request and normally complete the deletion within 30 days. The participant will receive confirmation by email once the request has been processed.

Certain information may be retained where required by applicable law, University of Haifa policy, research ethics requirements, or the approved research protocol. Data that have already been fully anonymized and can no longer reasonably be linked to an individual may not be identifiable or technically capable of being removed. If any information cannot be deleted, we will explain the applicable reason to the participant.

A request to delete data will also be treated as a request to discontinue further participation in the study. Participants may submit a deletion request without reinstalling or accessing the PainDA application.

12. Your Rights

Depending on applicable law, participants may have the right to:

• Request access to their information
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of their account and identifiable research data
• Withdraw from the study at any time without penalty

Withdrawal from the study will not affect any rights to which participants are otherwise entitled.

13. Children's Privacy

PainDA is intended exclusively for adult participants between 22 and 60 years of age who are enrolled in approved research studies. The application is not intended for children of any age.

14. Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically. Any material changes will be reflected by updating the Last Updated date 7/8/2026.

Where required by applicable law or institutional policy, participants will be informed of material changes that significantly affect the processing of their information.

15. Contact

For questions regarding this Privacy Policy, personal information, participation in a PainDA research study, or data deletion requests, please contact: