Symptom Monitoring based on Digital Data Collection During Inpatient Treatment of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders – a Feasibility Study
Authors: Herpertz Julian , Richter Maike Frederike , Barkhau Carlotta , Storck Michael , Blitz Rogério , Steinmann Lavinia A. , Goltermann Janik , Dannlowski Udo , Baune Bernhard T. , Varghese Julian , Dugas Martin , Lencer Rebekka , Opel Nils 
Published: October 2021

Background

Digital acquisition of risk factors and symptoms based on patients’ self-reports represents a promising, cost-efficient and increasingly prevalent approach for standardized data collection in psychiatric clinical routine. While the feasibility of digital data collection has been demonstrated across a range of psychiatric disorders, studies investigating digital data collection in schizophrenia spectrum disorder patients are scarce. Hence, up to now our knowledge about the acceptability and feasibility of digital data collection in patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder remains critically limited.

Objective

The objective of this study was to explore the acceptance towards and performance with digitally acquired assessments of risk and symptom profiles in patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder in comparison with patients with an affective disorder.

Methods

We investigated the acceptance, the required support and the data entry pace of patients during a longitudinal digital data collection system of risk and symptom profiles using self-reports on tablet computers throughout inpatient treatment in patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. As a benchmark comparison, findings in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder were evaluated in direct comparison with findings in affective disorder patients. The influence of sociodemographic data and clinical characteristics on the assessment was explored. The study was performed at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Münster between February 2020 and February 2021.

Results

Of 82 patients diagnosed with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder who were eligible for inclusion 59.8% (n=49) agreed to participate in the study of whom 54.2% (n=26) could enter data without any assistance. Inclusion rates, drop-out rates and subjective experience ratings did not differ between patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder and patients with an affective disorder. Out of all participating patients, 98% reported high satisfaction with the digital assessment. Patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder needed more support and more time for the assessment compared to patients with an affective disorder. The extent of support of patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder was predicted by age, whereas the feeling of self-efficacy predicted data entry pace.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that, although patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder need more support and more time for data entry than patients with an affective disorder, digital data collection using patients’ self-reports is a feasible and well-received method. Future clinical and research efforts on digitized assessments in psychiatry should include patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder and offer adequate support to reduce digital exclusion of these patients.