Digital phenotyping for assessment and prediction of mental health outcomes: a scoping review protocol

BMJ Open. 2019 Dec 30;9(12):e032255. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032255.

Abstract

Introduction: Rapid advancements in technology and the ubiquity of personal mobile digital devices have brought forth innovative methods of acquiring healthcare data. Smartphones can capture vast amounts of data both passively through inbuilt sensors or connected devices and actively via user engagement. This scoping review aims to evaluate evidence to date on the use of passive digital sensing/phenotyping in assessment and prediction of mental health.

Methods and analysis: The methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley will be used to conduct the review following the five-step process. A three-step search strategy will be used: (1) Initial limited search of online databases namely, MEDLINE for literature on digital phenotyping or sensing for key terms; (2) Comprehensive literature search using all identified keywords, across all relevant electronic databases: IEEE Xplore, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PubMed, the ACM Digital Library and Web of Science Core Collection (Science Citation Index Expanded and Social Sciences Citation Index), Scopus and (3) Snowballing approach using the reference and citing lists of all identified key conceptual papers and primary studies. Data will be charted and sorted using a thematic analysis approach.

Ethics and dissemination: The findings from this systematic scoping review will be reported at scientific meetings and published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Keywords: Depression & mood disorders; MENTAL HEALTH; digital phenotyping; sensing.

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Mental Disorders / diagnosis
  • Mental Health*
  • Mobile Applications / trends
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care / methods*
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care / trends
  • Phenotype
  • Prognosis
  • Research Design
  • Review Literature as Topic
  • Smartphone / instrumentation*
  • Smartphone / trends
  • Wearable Electronic Devices / trends