Intern Health Study 2025

NCT07052357 | Enrolling By Invitation

• 1 other identifier: HUM00033029.25
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,000
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of using a reinforcement learning algorithm to determine the optimal content of a mobile health intervention (message delivered via smartphone) for improving the mood, physical activity, and sleep of medical interns.

Conditions

Depression - Major Depressive Disorder; Mood; Sleep; Physical Activity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Average daily mood

  Through the mobile app, participants enter a mood score (scale 1 - 10) every day of the study. 1 corresponds to lowest mood and 10 corresponds to highest mood.

  Daily, through study completion at the end of intern year (1 year)

• Average daily step count

  Participant's daily step counts are recorded through a fitness tracker. High step counts are considered a positive outcome as it indicates more physical activity.

  Daily, through study completion at the end of intern year (1 year)

• Average nightly sleep duration

  Participant's nightly sleep duration (in minutes) is recorded through a fitness tracker. High sleep duration is considered a positive outcome.

  Daily, through study completion at the end of intern year (1 year)

• Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)

  Prior to the start of the intervention and at quarterly intervals throughout internship year, all participants complete the Patient Health Questionnaire 9. High scores on the PHQ-9 correspond to a larger number of depressive symptoms.

  Quarterly (every 3 months for 1 year)

Study Arms (1)

Within-participant micro-randomization

EXPERIMENTAL

Each week a policy outcome is chosen at random with ⅓ mood, ⅓ activity, ⅓ sleep - this determines which category of message a participant will receive. Each day in the study, a reinforcement learning algorithm will determine 1) if a participant will receive a notification that day or no notification that day, 2) the therapeutic strategy employed by the notification (Behavioral Strategy, Cognitive Strategy, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Distanced Self-Talk), and 3) if personalized data feedback will be included. If assigned to receive a notification, 1 core message set that meets the above criteria will be randomly selected from a pool of 358 core message sets. Each core message set will be comprised of 4 messages containing comparable content, however they will be tailored based on the participant's wearable (steps, sleep) or mood data for the specified time interval (7 days, 30 days, since the start of internship) as follows: 1) no data, 2) low, 3) moderate, or 4) high.

Behavioral: Intern Health Study behavioral change mobile notification

Interventions

Intern Health Study behavioral change mobile notification BEHAVIORAL

The study's mobile app will be used to deliver push notifications. The notifications appear on the participant's phone lock screen. The notifications include 3 categories: mood notifications, activity notifications, sleep notifications. Mood notifications aim to increase the participant's mood. Activity notifications aim to increase the participant's physical activity. Sleep notifications aim to increase the participant's sleep duration. All notifications are categorized as one of five therapeutic approaches: 1) CBT-Behavioral, 2) CBT-Cognitive, 3) Distanced Self-Talk, 4) Mindfulness, 5) Motivational Interviewing.

Within-participant micro-randomization

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Medical intern during the 2025-2026 internship year
• iPhone or Android phone user
• Completed the Intern Health Study consent and baseline survey by June 20 prior to the start of intern year

You may not qualify if:

• None

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Michigan: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48375, United States

Location

Related Links

• Sen Lab Website
• Study Participant Website

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg Professor of Depression and Neurosciences

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 26, 2025
• First Posted: July 4, 2025
• Study Start: April 3, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2026
• Last Updated: July 4, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Time Frame: Data will be made available 12 months after the end of the study It will be made available indefinitely after that date.
• Access Criteria: Deidentified data will be publicly available via ICPSR https://www.openicpsr.org/openicpsr/project/129225/version/V1/view

Locations

US (1)