title: Using a Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment Protocol With Community Dwelling Older African Americans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known about the feasibility of smartphone-based Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) approaches to collect psychosocial data from older populations, especially disadvantaged older populations. In response to this gap, this report provides evidence of the feasibility and utility of a smartphone-based EMA approach for real-time assessment with older African Americans. In addition, we share lessons learned about how to improve utility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-seven older African Americans ages 55 and older (range: 55-95 years) used an Android smartphone loaded with an EMA application to provide data about their everyday activities and stress four times per day for seven consecutive days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exit interviews early in the study suggested enhancements to the EMA interface. Adherence was demonstrated with response completion rates of 92-98% on EMA measures and no participant attrition based on the EMA protocol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest using a smartphone-based EMA approach for data collection is feasible and has utility with older African Americans. We most likely enhanced adherence by testing, training, monitoring, and adapting the EMA protocol using input from older adults early in the EMA design process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care Sciences.|Institute of Gerontology.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fritz
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care Sciences.|Institute of Gerontology.
authors.forename: Wassim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tarraf
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Dan J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care Sciences.
authors.forename: Malcolm P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Cutchin
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D000068997:Smartphone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: African Americans; Mobile technology; protocol improvement