Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39746166›Full record

Observational studyJCO clinical cancer informatics2025

Feasibility and Acceptability of Collecting Passive Smartphone Data for Potential Use in Digital Phenotyping Among Family Caregivers and Patients With Advanced Cancer.

J Nicholas Odom, Kyungmi Lee, Erin R Currie, Kristen Allen-Watts, Erin R Harrell, Avery C Bechthold, Sally Engler, Kayleigh Curry, Arif H Kamal, Christine S Ritchie and 4 more

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in JCO clinical cancer informatics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Living with PCOS: A Narrative of its Biology, Diagnosis, and Evolving Treatment.Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

J Nicholas OdomSchool of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.ORCID 0000-0001-6764-0254
Kyungmi LeeFrances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.
Erin R CurrieSchool of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
Kristen Allen-WattsDivision of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
Erin R HarrellNational Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.ORCID 0000-0002-5355-5232
Avery C BechtholdSchool of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.ORCID 0000-0002-6542-1346
Sally EnglerSchool of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
Kayleigh CurrySchool of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
Arif H KamalDepartment of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC.ORCID 0000-0002-5235-9395
Christine S RitchieHarvard Medical School, Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
George DemirisDepartment of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing & Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.ORCID 0000-0002-6318-5829
Alexi A WrightHarvard Medical School, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.ORCID 0000-0002-9776-7114
Marie A BakitasSchool of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.ORCID 0000-0002-2913-2053
Andres AzueroSchool of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.ORCID 0000-0001-9883-1424

Funding

XRAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHYP30CA013148 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · PI Omer Jamy · 1985 to 2026
$165.9M
UAB/Tuskegee Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (UAB/TU FIRST) Partnership (NIH U54) Travel SupplementU54CA267746 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · PI DURANT, RAEGAN WINSTON, FOUAD, MONA N. · 2021 to 2024
$12.7M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA013148NCI NIH HHS U54 CA267746
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeModeling passively collected smartphone sensor data (called digital phenotyping) has the potential to detect distress among family caregivers and patients with advanced cancer and could lead to novel clinical models of cancer care. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of collecting passive smartphone data from family caregivers and their care recipients with advanced cancer over 24 weeks.

methodsThis was an observational feasibility study. Family caregivers and patients with advanced cancer were recruited through clinic or via social media and downloaded a digital phenotyping application (Beiwe) to their smartphones that passively collected sensor data over 24 weeks. Feasibility was evaluated by quantifying enrollment and retention and the quantity of acquired data. Acceptability was assessed through post-24 week qualitative interviews.

resultsOf 178 caregiver and patient dyads approached, 22.5% of caregivers (n = 40) and 10.1% of patients (n = 18) both consented to the study and successfully downloaded the application, with most recruited through social media (93%). Of 24 weeks (168 days), the median number of days that data were received was 141 days. Interviews yielded three themes: (1) experiences with study procedures were generally positive despite some technical challenges; (2) security and privacy concerns were minimal, mitigated by clear explanations, trust in the health care system, and privacy norms; and (3) a clinical model that used passive smartphone monitoring to automatically trigger assistance could be beneficial but with concern about false alarms.

conclusionThis pilot study of collecting passive smartphone data found mixed indicators of feasibility, with suboptimal enrollment rates, particularly via clinic, but positive retention and data collection rates for those who did enroll. Participants had generally positive views of passive monitoring.

Indexed as

CaregiversFeasibility StudiesNeoplasmsSmartphoneAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMobile ApplicationsPhenotype

Identifiers

PMID39746166
PMCPMC11706344

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.