Application of Wearable Technology for Ecological Momentary Assessment to Identify Acute Suicide Risk in Psychiatric Inpatients

Overview

This pilot study explores the use of wearable technology to enhance the identification of acute suicide risk in psychiatric inpatients. By integrating wearable-derived sleep and activity data with clinical assessments, the study aims to improve daily risk triage processes.

Background

Suicide risk remains a critical concern in psychiatric care, particularly during inpatient hospitalization. Traditional assessment methods may not adequately capture the dynamic nature of suicidal ideation, highlighting the need for innovative approaches. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) using wearable technology offers a potential solution by providing real-time data on patients' mental states.

Data Highlights

Key Findings

• The multimodal fusion model showed higher recall and F2-score compared to the conventional assessment model.
• Wearable-derived features identified C-SSRS-positive records from patients with low admission scores.
• Blunted morning activity and nocturnal hyperactivity were significant indicators of suicide risk.
• Findings should be interpreted as exploratory and hypothesis-generating.
• Larger studies are needed to validate the effectiveness of this approach.

Clinical Implications

The integration of wearable technology in psychiatric settings may enhance the monitoring of suicide risk by capturing real-time data on patients' sleep and activity patterns. This could inform daily clinical assessments and improve risk management strategies.

Conclusion

The study suggests that wearable-derived data may complement traditional clinical assessments in identifying acute suicide risk among psychiatric inpatients. Further research is necessary to establish the clinical utility of this approach.

Related Resources & Content

1. Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) — Assessing the Use of Wearable Mobile-Monitoring Devices Among Individuals With Serious Mental Illness: Qualitative Acceptability and Feasibility Study
2. BMC Psychiatry (Springer) — Utilizing Ecological Momentary Assessment and Deep Learning to Forecast Suicidal Thoughts and Self-Harm in a General Population Cohort
3. Frontiers in Psychiatry — Prospective observational study on behavioral monitoring, disease progression assessment, and screening model development for patients with depression using wearable devices and mobile phones: protocol
4. VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for Assessment and Management of Patients at Risk for Suicide
5. Resources for Suicide Risk Reduction | Joint Commission
6. DIGITAL HEALTH — The acceptability of wearable devices for promoting adolescent mental wellbeing: A systematic review
7. Ambulatory assessment in mental health: expert consensus and recommendations
8. VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for Assessment and Management of Patients at Risk for Suicide
9. Resources for Suicide Risk Reduction | Joint Commission
10. Journal of Medical Internet Research - The Application of AI to Ecological Momentary Assessment Data in Suicide Research: Systematic Review
11. Digital phenotypes of real-time suicidal ideation: Correlates and consequences - PubMed
12. Frontiers | Use of ecological momentary assessment via wearable devices for detecting acute suicide risk in psychiatric inpatients
13. Feasibility and adherence to ecological momentary assessment among community-dwelling adults with suicide risk | BMC Nursing | Springer Nature Link
14. Suicide Risk Management in Ecological Momentary Assessment: Participant Concealment of Suicidal Thoughts and Experiences with Safety Procedures - ScienceDirect