NYU Langone Concussion Tracker

A Research Study

The purpose of this study is to explore whether using a mobile application that you download onto your iPhone can help you record symptoms as well as physical and cognitive function after the diagnosis of concussion.

The main objective of this exploratory study is to collect information using new technology, to obtain patient-completed standardized measures, and to record physical and cognitive function for two weeks after subjects have been diagnosed with a concussion, as well as to test the feasibility of our approach.

Background

Concussion, the mildest form of traumatic brain injury (TBI), is a common cause of injury; more than 4 million Americans sustain such events each year (McCrory P et al., 2013). Concussion is defined as any impulse blow to the head or body resulting in transient neurologic signs or symptoms. This problem has received increasing attention in sports at all levels of play and across the age spectrum. There is a need to explore new technology and to be able to use technological devices to collect key information that could improve communication between patients and physicians, particularly during the recovery phase after having a concussion.

How This Study Works

Participants will download a free app from the Apple App Store, known as the NYU Langone Concussion Tracker app. Before they will be allowed to enroll in the study, participants will be asked to confirm that they are at least 18 years of age, have been diagnosed with a concussion by a healthcare provider within the past 30 days, and are under the care of a healthcare provider.

Participants will complete a screening questionnaire on the iPhone.

Register an account: After an individual gives his or her consent, everyone who enrolls will complete an electronic registration process through the NYU Langone Concussion Tracker app. Registration will include entering an email address and other general information.

On a daily basis, participants will report symptoms using the NYU Langone Concussion Tracker iOS mobile app.

Daily symptom reporting includes a five-question survey, a six-minute walking test, and a concentration task.

Using access granted to Health data via HealthKit, as well as Location Services data, steps taken will be measured during a daily six-minute walking task.

On a weekly basis (for two weeks), the participants will also complete a 22-question survey via the iPhone.

A dashboard will have information compiled in a way that one can show one’s doctor, if a participant chooses. Though this is not a therapeutic tool, this dashboard may allow one to better keep track of information one would be reporting in a doctor’s office.

The app will track use of the app and features in the app. This way, the study investigators can find out more about how many participants drop out of the study, how often the app is typically used by participants, and which specific features of the app are used, etc.

Giving electronic consent, registering for the study on a mobile phone, and answering the first set of questions should take about 10-15 minutes. The daily tasks and weekly questions that are asked should take only 10 minutes each time.

The app will send push notices on the iPhone asking a participant to complete tasks and surveys. A participant may choose to complete the surveys at their convenience, either immediately or later. A participant can use the notification settings on the iPhone for the NYU Langone Concussion Tracker app to control or turn off the notifications if one does not want anyone else to become aware one is in the study (by hearing a notification tone, for example).

Disclaimer

Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.