B3256 - Using smartwatches to explore patterns of alcohol use - 14/02/2019

B number: 
B3256
Principal applicant name: 
Andy Skinner | University of Bristol
Co-applicants: 
Prof Debbie Lawlor, Prof Marcus Munafo, Chris Stone, Prof Kate Tilling , Dr Sally Adams
Title of project: 
Using smartwatches to explore patterns of alcohol use
Proposal summary: 

In this study we will explore the feasibility of using smartwatches to capture detailed information about individuals alcohol drinking behaviours. We will be using an approach called Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to gather data about people's alcohol consumption as they go about their normal lives. Specifically, we will be using a new version of EMA called microEMA, which is designed to minimise the level of interuption and burden to people, whilst allowing us to capture detailed data about their drinking behaviours. We have developed a microEMA application to run on a normal, commercially available smartwatch, and will use this, alongside a more traditional questionnaire, to capture information about the type and quantity of alcoholic drinks consumed during each day, and if these drinks are consumed at home or outside the home, and in the company of others or alone. We will do this over a period of 3 months. Because we will ask people about their drinking behaviours throughout the day, we hope to capture more accurate and detailed information about their drinking behaviour with our smartwatch microEMA application than with traditional questionnaires, which people complete days afterwards, and which are known to suffer from problems related to remembering what was consumed, and other reporting biases. We can then use these data to explore differences in drinking behaviours between different groups. We will explore differences in drinking behaviour between high and low social economic position groups. This will allow us to understand, not just the differences in drinking behaviours between the two groups, but if there are differences in the way the two groups use and experience the new smartwatch-based microEMA approach, if this if different to the way they use and experience more traditional questionnaire approaches, and if new approaches like micro EMA might introduce other unexpected biases that could affect the data they collect.

Impact of research: 
1) To demonstrate the feasibility of using new wearable devices for the capture of high temporal density, longitudinal health data. These approaches could potentially be used to capture any self-report report data with high levels of detail, but low participant burden. Methods of this kind could be important in helping to address attrition in longitudinal cohort studies like ALSPAC. 2) To identify patterns in drinking behaviours, and differences in these by SEP, that could potentially be used to inform policy around alcohol and health, and interventions aimed at reducing alcohol consumption in specific groups.
Date proposal received: 
Wednesday, 13 February, 2019
Date proposal approved: 
Wednesday, 13 February, 2019
Keywords: 
Health behaviours, Addiction - e.g. alcohol, illicit drugs, smoking, gambling, etc., Advanced phenotyping, wearable data capture alcohol