February 2024 SOCRA Source Journal - Journal - Page 77
2022 POSTER
PROGRAM
V.SWETHA E. JEGANATHAN
Compliance with a digital health
study to determine recovery
trajectories for student athletes
recently diagnosed with COVID 19
V.Swetha E. Jeganathan, Bradley L. Trumpower,
Evan Luff, Chris Huang, Jessica R. Golbus,
Sachin Kheterpal, Eugene H. Chung, Sami F. Rifat,
Brahmajee K. Nallamothu, Nirav Shah
Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic impact globally, affecting people from all walks of life,
including highly functioning student athletes. Conducting research in this environment is challenging, but necessary. We
describe the steps to develop and maintain a fully remote digital health study in a student athlete population.
Methods: We conducted a remote digital health study on student athletes at the University of Michigan that were
COVID-19+ (n=36) and COVID-negative (n=13). We asked them to wear a smartwatch for 90 days. They received
automated notifications promoting watch wear-time. Survey data (quality of life, mood, stress) was collected in a mobile
app and linked with activity data. Participants were considered compliant if they completed > 50% of surveys and wore
their watches for > 8 hrs.
Results: There were 49 athletes (67.3% female, mean age 20.5) enrolled; most enrolled from the football and rowing
teams (59.1%). Each was assigned baseline, weekly, and final surveys, with COVID(+) individuals also taking daily surveys
until day 14; and all surveys at days 15 & 30. There were 46 (93.9%) who were compliant with baseline surveys, 37 (75.5%)
with weekly surveys, and 24 (52.2%) with final surveys. There were 17 (26.5%) who were highly wear-compliant (≥75%
wear-compliance), 13 (34.7%) moderately compliant (50-75%), and 19 (38.8%) with < 50% compliance.
Of the 36 COVID(+) participants, all were compliant with baseline surveys, 34 (94.4%) with daily surveys, all with day-15
surveys, 28 (77.8%) with weekly surveys, 35 (97.2%) with day-30 surveys, and 24 (66.7%) with final surveys. 16 (44.4%) had
a mean wear-compliance rate ≥ 5 days/week.
Of the 13 COVID(-) participants, 10 (76.9%) were compliant with baseline surveys, 9 (25.0%) with weekly surveys, and 4
(30.8%) with final surveys. There were 3 (23.1%) who had a mean wear-compliance rate ≥ 5 days/week.
Conclusions: Engaging student athletes in a digital health study during the COVID-19 pandemic raises challenges
ranging from schoolwork to semester breaks to wearing devices during training. Adherence may have been improved by
using more automated notifications and incentives to keep them engaged throughout the study. Like with other digital
health studies, participants may need a reason to remain engaged. This novel digital health study provided the ability to
“connect” with and engage participants virtually. The study may inform clinical trial design, interpretation of wearable
data in clinical practice, and health interventions especially in COVID(+) athletes.
SOCRA SOURCE © May 2023
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