The eMonitoring Project
Project description
This is an exciting new study (the first of its kind in UK) that will investigate the use of a range of electronic monitoring methodologies (mood diaries, actiwatches, pedometers) in patients with bipolar disorders. We are interested in finding out how easy and how useful it will be for bipolar individuals to use electronic mood diaries (Palm and PC desktop based) to monitor their symptoms, medications, and life events during their everyday life.
The results of this study will help us to understand symptom variability and the course of bipolar disorder, and also will enable us to develop novel methodologies for tracking psychiatric symptoms in this fascinating patient group.
Methodology
Prospective design (12 months), 3 months daily process phase with weekly telephone interviews and monthly evaluations, 3 quartely follow up evaluations at months 6, 9, 12 (12 months total duration of study)
Sample Group
Patients with Bipolar I/II disorders out of episode (or in remission) recruited from IOP/SLAM, MDF, WWW
Outcome measures
Symptom peaks, Time to relapse, and Number of relapses
Investigator Team & Participating organisations
Principal Investigator / PhD Candidate:
Mr Yanni Malliaris (Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London)
Research Supervisors:
Professor Dinesh Bhugra
(Professor of Mental Health and Culture, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, President of Royal College of Psychiatry)
Professor Tom Craig
(Professor of Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London)
Professor Chris Brewin
(Professor of Clinical Psychology, University College London)
Students / Research Volunteers
George Salaminios
(BSc Hons Psychology undergraduate, Brunel University)
Chui-Ying Chan
(BSc Hons Psychology undergraduate, Brunel University)
Agazi Fessehaie
(BSc Hons Psychology undergraduate, Brunel University)
Information Technology (IT) Consultants
Andreas Soupianas, Lead Programmer (National Bank of Greece, Hellenic Bipolar Organisation, bipolar.gr)
Dr Kristof Van Laerhoven, Computer scientist and engineer, University of Darmstadt, Germany
Tasha Glenn, IT Consultant, Developer of ChronoRecord software (Tall tree software, ChronoRecord.org)
Participating Advocacy Group:
MDF, The Bipolar Organisation )
Funding
Medical Research Council Trial Platforms Grants - Total: 220,000(£)
(2005 - 2007) - Award given to: Prof. Jan Scott (PI), Mr. Yanni Malliaris, Prof. Nicol Ferrier, & MDF the Bipolar Organisation
British Council ARC Project grant - Medical Informatics Scheme - Total: £2,260 (2005 - 2008)
Award given to: Mr Yanni Malliaris
Psychiatry Research trust - Total: £2070 (2007 - current)
Award given to: Mr Yanni Malliaris
