Using wearable activity trackers for research in the global south: Lessons learned from adolescent psychotherapy research in Kenya

Abstract

Wearable activity trackers have emerged as valuable tools for health research, providing high-resolution data on measures such as physical activity. While most research on these devices has been conducted in high-income countries, there is growing interest in their use in the global south. This perspective discusses the challenges faced and strategies employed when using wearable activity trackers to test the effects of a school-based intervention for depression and anxiety among Kenyan youth. Lessons learned include the importance of validating data output, establishing an internal procedure for international procurement, providing on-site support for participants, designating a full-time team member for wearable activity tracker operation, and issuing a paper-based information sheet to participants. The insights shared in this perspective serve as guidance for researchers undertaking studies with wearables in similar settings, contributing to the evidence base for mental health interventions targeting youth in the global south. Despite the challenges to set up, deploy and extract data from wearable activity trackers, we believe that wearables are a relatively economical approach to provide insight into the daily lives of research participants, and recommend their use to other researchers.