Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Feb 24, 2025
Open Peer Review Period: Feb 24, 2025 - Apr 21, 2025
Date Accepted: Mar 12, 2026
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Veteran Monitoring Initiative for Non-invasive physiology and Depression (V-MIND): Protocol for an observational digital phenotyping study exploring physical activity and mental health in UK veterans.
ABSTRACT
Background:
Background:
Veterans face an increased risk of common mental health conditions, with depression rates estimated to be double that of the general population (40%). However, disengagement from treatment is a concern amongst veteran healthcare providers. There is therefore a need to explore novel ways to manage veteran mental health. Wearable devices, such as fitness trackers and smart watches have been explored for their potential to assess, monitor and predict depression in the general population. Such devices provide continuous data on physical activity, heart rate, sleep quality, and stress levels, offering a comprehensive view of the lifestyle and physiological factors influencing mental health.
Objective:
Objectives: This is a cross-sectional study that aims to explore the relationships between mental health and physical activity amongst UK veterans.
Methods:
Methods:
Observational feasibility study measuring mental health via validated questionnaires completed at baseline (T0), day 28 (T1), day 56 (T2) and day 84 (T3) and physical activity levels, measured continuously via wrist worn fitness trackers over 3 months (84 days). Garmin vívosmart-5 watches will be used. UK veterans will be recruited through convenience sampling methods. Social media posts on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram will advertise the study via open adverts. In addition, veteran groups and peer support networks will be contacted via email and invite members to participate in the study. Statistical analysis will be exploratory, machine Learning (ML) models will be trained to detect changes in mental health and wellbeing outcomes.
Results:
Results:
Data collection will occur from February 2025 to January 2026.
Conclusions:
Conclusions:
This study would allow us to better understand the relationship between mental health and physical activity within the veteran population. This study may also inform potential future interventions based on combining information from trackers with managing symptoms of Common Mental Disorders (CMD’s) in veterans experiencing mental health difficulties.
Citation
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Copyright
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