Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Study Tobacco Behavior in Urban India: There’s an App for That

BackgroundEcological momentary assessment (EMA) uses real-time data collection to assess participants’ behaviors and environments. This paper explores the strengths and limitations of using EMA to examine social and environmental exposure to tobacco in urban India among older...

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Main Authors: Soong, Andrea, Chen, Julia Cen, Borzekowski, Dina LG
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2015-06-01
Series:JMIR Research Protocols
Online Access:http://www.researchprotocols.org/2015/2/e76/
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spelling doaj-3d5fa1720f4849fb9fe22046596b41b32021-05-03T02:53:17ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Research Protocols1929-07482015-06-0142e7610.2196/resprot.4408Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Study Tobacco Behavior in Urban India: There’s an App for ThatSoong, AndreaChen, Julia CenBorzekowski, Dina LG BackgroundEcological momentary assessment (EMA) uses real-time data collection to assess participants’ behaviors and environments. This paper explores the strengths and limitations of using EMA to examine social and environmental exposure to tobacco in urban India among older adolescents and adults. ObjectiveObjectives of this study were (1) to describe the methods used in an EMA study of tobacco use in urban India using a mobile phone app for data collection, (2) to determine the feasibility of using EMA in the chosen setting by drawing on participant completion and compliance rates with the study protocol, and (3) to provide recommendations on implementing mobile phone EMA research in India and other low- and middle-income countries. MethodsVia mobile phones and the Internet, this study used two EMA surveys: (1) a momentary survey, sent multiple times per day at random to participants, which asked about their real-time tobacco use (smoked and smokeless) and exposure to pro- and antitobacco messaging in their location, and 2) an end-of-day survey sent at the end of each study day. Trained participants, from Hyderabad and Kolkata, India, reported on their social and environmental exposure to tobacco over 10 consecutive days. This feasibility study examined participant compliance, exploring factors related to the successful completion of surveys and the validity of EMA data. ResultsThe sample included 205 participants, the majority of whom were male (135/205, 65.9%). Almost half smoked less than daily (56/205, 27.3%) or daily (43/205, 21.0%), and 4.4% (9/205) used smokeless tobacco products. Participants completed and returned 46.87% and 73.02% of momentary and end-of-day surveys, respectively. Significant predictors of momentary survey completion included employment and completion of end-of-day surveys. End-of-day survey completion was only significantly predicted by momentary survey completion. ConclusionsThis first study of EMA in India offers promising results, although more research is needed on how to increase compliance. End-of-day survey completion, which has a lower research burden, may be the more appropriate approach to understanding behaviors such as tobacco use within vulnerable populations in challenging locations. Compliance may also be improved by increasing the number of study visits, compliance checks, or opportunities for retraining participants before and during data collection.http://www.researchprotocols.org/2015/2/e76/
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Soong, Andrea
Chen, Julia Cen
Borzekowski, Dina LG
spellingShingle Soong, Andrea
Chen, Julia Cen
Borzekowski, Dina LG
Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Study Tobacco Behavior in Urban India: There’s an App for That
JMIR Research Protocols
author_facet Soong, Andrea
Chen, Julia Cen
Borzekowski, Dina LG
author_sort Soong, Andrea
title Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Study Tobacco Behavior in Urban India: There’s an App for That
title_short Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Study Tobacco Behavior in Urban India: There’s an App for That
title_full Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Study Tobacco Behavior in Urban India: There’s an App for That
title_fullStr Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Study Tobacco Behavior in Urban India: There’s an App for That
title_full_unstemmed Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Study Tobacco Behavior in Urban India: There’s an App for That
title_sort using ecological momentary assessment to study tobacco behavior in urban india: there’s an app for that
publisher JMIR Publications
series JMIR Research Protocols
issn 1929-0748
publishDate 2015-06-01
description BackgroundEcological momentary assessment (EMA) uses real-time data collection to assess participants’ behaviors and environments. This paper explores the strengths and limitations of using EMA to examine social and environmental exposure to tobacco in urban India among older adolescents and adults. ObjectiveObjectives of this study were (1) to describe the methods used in an EMA study of tobacco use in urban India using a mobile phone app for data collection, (2) to determine the feasibility of using EMA in the chosen setting by drawing on participant completion and compliance rates with the study protocol, and (3) to provide recommendations on implementing mobile phone EMA research in India and other low- and middle-income countries. MethodsVia mobile phones and the Internet, this study used two EMA surveys: (1) a momentary survey, sent multiple times per day at random to participants, which asked about their real-time tobacco use (smoked and smokeless) and exposure to pro- and antitobacco messaging in their location, and 2) an end-of-day survey sent at the end of each study day. Trained participants, from Hyderabad and Kolkata, India, reported on their social and environmental exposure to tobacco over 10 consecutive days. This feasibility study examined participant compliance, exploring factors related to the successful completion of surveys and the validity of EMA data. ResultsThe sample included 205 participants, the majority of whom were male (135/205, 65.9%). Almost half smoked less than daily (56/205, 27.3%) or daily (43/205, 21.0%), and 4.4% (9/205) used smokeless tobacco products. Participants completed and returned 46.87% and 73.02% of momentary and end-of-day surveys, respectively. Significant predictors of momentary survey completion included employment and completion of end-of-day surveys. End-of-day survey completion was only significantly predicted by momentary survey completion. ConclusionsThis first study of EMA in India offers promising results, although more research is needed on how to increase compliance. End-of-day survey completion, which has a lower research burden, may be the more appropriate approach to understanding behaviors such as tobacco use within vulnerable populations in challenging locations. Compliance may also be improved by increasing the number of study visits, compliance checks, or opportunities for retraining participants before and during data collection.
url http://www.researchprotocols.org/2015/2/e76/
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