Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40028387›Full record

ArticleGlobal mental health (Cambridge, England)2025

Wearable technology and daily diaries for studying mental health: lessons learned from pilot studies in Kampala, Uganda.

Karen E Nielsen, Kate Mobley, Rachel Culbreth, Jane B Palmier, Gideon Matovu, Anna Nabulya, Monica H Swahn

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Global mental health (Cambridge, England), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. 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

7 authors.

Karen E NielsenSchool of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3771-5272
Kate MobleySchool of Data Science and Analytics, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA.
Rachel CulbrethToxicology Investigators Consortium, American College of Medical Toxicology, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
Jane B PalmierWellstar College of Health and Human Services, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA.
Gideon MatovuUganda Youth Development Link, Kampala, Uganda.
Anna NabulyaUganda Youth Development Link, Kampala, Uganda.
Monica H SwahnWellstar College of Health and Human Services, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA.

Funding

TOPOWA Study: Social Drivers of Mental Illness among AGYW in Slums.R01MH128930 · NIMH · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · PI Monica H Swahn · 2022 to 2026
$3.4M
NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH128930
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Wearable technology and daily diaries offer insights into everyday behaviors that can further health research and treatment globally. However, the use of these methodologies outside of high-income settings has been limited. We conducted two pilot studies that enrolled 60 young women in the urban slums of Kampala, Uganda to understand design considerations associated with using wearable technology and daily diaries in this context. Each participant in the pilot studies was asked to wear a wearable activity tracker and complete daily diary questionnaires for 5 days. Based on our experiences, we identified several lessons that may be beneficial to others interested in implementing wearable technology and daily self-reports in their research and interventions, particularly when working in low-resource contexts. We discuss the importance of designing solutions tailored to the available resources, building validation for the most critical measures, investing in data management efforts and providing transparent and culturally accessible information to participants. Examples from our study are provided. These lessons may reduce the barriers and improve data quality for future researchers and practitioners interested in using these data collection methods globally.

Indexed as

actigraphycultural sensitivitydeveloping countriesglobal mental healthMobile health

Identifiers

PMID40028387
PMCPMC11867819

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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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.