Participants will use the m-path app (https://m-path.io), which is a General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) -compliant research tool developed by the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. The app will be preloaded onto the study smartphone, or participants can opt to download this on their own device if they prefer. The app will be used to send participants short questionnaires four times daily to rate their cognitive fatigue and physical fatigue from 0 to 10, and to note any associated triggers for improvements in or deteriorations in fatigue. The anchoring and wording of the self-rating questions is based on ‘state’ fatigue items from the Mental and Physical STEF Scale.29 A full summary of the self-rating questions is provided in text Box 1.
Self-rating prompts within the m-Path app
1. Overall, how fatigued do you feel at the moment?
· I feel no fatigue, strongest feeling of fatigue ever (0–10 slider).
2. How do you feel right now with regard to your capacity to perform your typical activities.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES…
· I feel no fatigue—0–10 slider—strongest feelings of fatigue ever felt.
3. How do you feel right now with regard to your capacity to perform your typical activities.
MENTAL ACTIVITIES…
· I feel no fatigue—0–10 slider —strongest feelings of fatigue ever felt.
4. Is your fatigue better, the same or worse than usual?
CONDITIONAL
· If the same—no further questions.
· If better—question about factors making better.
· If worse—question about factors making worse.
Factors making better:
Do you think that any of the following might have affected your current levels of fatigue (select all that apply)?
· Exercise or physical activity within the last day.
· Exercise or physical activity more than a day ago.
· Taking a medicine (please specify).
· Taking rest.
· Taking caffeine.
· Less emotions or stress.
· My mood.
· Spending time with other people.
· The weather.
· Quiet time.
· Something else (please specify)—free text option.
Factors making worse:
Do you think that any of the following might have affected your current levels of fatigue (select all that apply)?
· Exercise or physical activity within the last day.
· Exercise or physical activity more than a day ago.
· Taking a medicine (please specify).
· Emotions or stress.
· My mood.
· Tasks or work relating to my employment.
· Tasks or work relating to my home life.
· Spending time with other people.
· The weather.
· Noise.
· Other (please specify).
M-path will send audible alerts to the smartphone at predetermined intervals, spaced throughout the day and preagreed with the participant to fit with work or personal commitments. Participants will be able to miss self-reports and will be asked to add extra reports on-demand if they notice that their fatigue levels are better or worse than usual.
This post was originally published on https://bmjopen.bmj.com