Mobile Phone Assessment in Egocentric Networks: A Pilot Study on Gay Men and Their Peers.
← Research streamThis article describes a mobile phone-based pilot study in egocentric networks (12 gay men; 44 total participants) using daily mobile assessments and, for Android users, phone log data collection. It discusses benefits and challenges of mobile implementation …
Study snapshot
Abstract
Mobile phone-based data collection encompasses the richness of social network research. Both individual-level and network-level measures can be recorded. For example, health-related behaviors can be reported via mobile assessment. Social interactions can be assessed by phone-log data. Yet the potential of mobile phone data collection has largely been untapped. This is especially true of egocentric studies in public health settings where mobile phones can enhance both data collection and intervention delivery, e.g. mobile users can video chat with counselors. This is due in part to privacy issues and other barriers that are more difficult to address outside of academic settings where most mobile research to date has taken place. In this article, we aim to inform a broader discussion on mobile research. In particular, benefits and challenges to mobile phone-based data collection are highlighted through our mobile phone-based pilot study that was conducted on egocentric networks of 12 gay men (n = 44 total participants). HIV-transmission and general health behaviors were reported through a mobile phone-based daily assessment that was administered through study participants' own mobile phones. Phone log information was collected from gay men with Android phones. Benefits and challenges to mobile implementation are discussed, along with the application of multi-level models to the type of longitudinal egocentric data that we collected.
AI evidence extraction
Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.
Main findings
This article describes a mobile phone-based pilot study in egocentric networks (12 gay men; 44 total participants) using daily mobile assessments and, for Android users, phone log data collection. It discusses benefits and challenges of mobile implementation and notes the use of multi-level models for longitudinal egocentric data.
Outcomes measured
- HIV-transmission behaviors
- general health behaviors
- social interactions (via phone-log data)
Limitations
- Pilot study
- Privacy issues and other barriers to mobile research implementation are noted
View raw extracted JSON
{
"study_type": "other",
"exposure": {
"band": null,
"source": "mobile phone",
"frequency_mhz": null,
"sar_wkg": null,
"duration": "daily assessment (longitudinal); duration not otherwise specified"
},
"population": "Gay men and their egocentric network peers",
"sample_size": 44,
"outcomes": [
"HIV-transmission behaviors",
"general health behaviors",
"social interactions (via phone-log data)"
],
"main_findings": "This article describes a mobile phone-based pilot study in egocentric networks (12 gay men; 44 total participants) using daily mobile assessments and, for Android users, phone log data collection. It discusses benefits and challenges of mobile implementation and notes the use of multi-level models for longitudinal egocentric data.",
"effect_direction": "unclear",
"limitations": [
"Pilot study",
"Privacy issues and other barriers to mobile research implementation are noted"
],
"evidence_strength": "insufficient",
"confidence": 0.74,
"peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
"keywords": [
"mobile phone-based data collection",
"egocentric networks",
"daily assessment",
"phone logs",
"Android",
"HIV-transmission behaviors",
"general health behaviors",
"privacy"
],
"suggested_hubs": []
}AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.
Identifiers and source
DOI: 10.17266/34.1.4
PubMed: 25844003