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Mobile Crowdsensing in Ecological Momentary Assessment mHealth Studies: A Systematic Review and Analysis.
Robin Kraft1,2,3, Manfred Reichert1, Rüdiger Pryss3
1Institute of Databases and Information Systems, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 23, 2024
Summary
Researchers are increasingly using mobile devices and sensors for Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) in health studies. Integrating Mobile Crowdsensing (MCS) with EMA shows growing potential for automated data collection and deeper patient insights.
Area of Science:
- Digital Health
- Mobile Health (mHealth)
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Mobile devices are crucial for collecting real-world health data through Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA).
- EMA captures patient conditions moment-to-moment and long-term via smart notifications and questionnaires.
- Mobile Crowdsensing (MCS) enhances EMA by incorporating sensor data for objective, contextual insights.
Approach:
- A systematic literature review guided by PRISMA standards was conducted.
- Databases searched included PubMed, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost.
- The review examined the integration of MCS within EMA research.
Key Points:
- Both EMA research and sensor integration in EMA are on the rise.
- Mobile apps, fixed-time prompts, and signal- or interval-contingent self-assessment are common EMA strategies.
- Accelerometers and GPS are the most used sensors, often for data verification or triggering prompts.
- Security and privacy are addressed in a limited number of studies.
- EMA adherence is negatively linked to prompt numbers but improves with micro-EMA (μEMA) and sensor use.
Conclusions:
- The use of smartphones and sensors in EMA research is expanding.
- There is significant potential for more automated data collection by leveraging smartphone and sensor capabilities.
- Future research could further optimize automated approaches for richer health data collection.
