Using Mobile Phones to Collect Patient Data: Lessons Learned From the SIMPle Study.

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Clinical Research Methods
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Background:

• Mobile phones offer efficient, interactive real-time data collection for acute illnesses like urinary tract infections (UTIs).
• Automated data upload via mobile devices reduces data loss compared to paper surveys.
• This study integrates mobile data collection into a randomized controlled trial for UTI management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore differences in data collection from UTI patients using text messaging, a mobile app (UTI diary), and an online survey.
• To identify lessons learned from integrating mobile data collection into a clinical trial.
• To compare the feasibility and patient engagement of different mobile data collection methods.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial (SIMPle study) involving UTI patients in general practices.
• Data collection via prospective text message survey, a mobile phone UTI symptom diary app, and a retrospective online survey.
• Participant numbers: 329 for text message survey, 71 for UTI diary app, 91 for online survey.

Main Results:

• UTI diary app users were younger than text message and online survey participants.
• The primary dropout point for text message and app users was after the initial opt-in.
• High response rates were observed once participants completed the initial questions/days.

Conclusions:

• Mobile data collection methods are feasible and efficient for capturing patient data, including in real-time across multiple time points.
• Text message surveys and UTI diary apps showed comparable patient response numbers, with text messages having higher participation.
• The choice of method (text message vs. app) depends on patient demographics and desired data type.