The Use and Utility of Wearable Devices for Tracking Sleep and Activity in Inpatient Mental Health Settings: Protocol for a Rapid Review

TL;DR

This paper outlines a rapid review protocol to assess how wearable devices can track sleep and activity in mental health inpatient settings, aiming to improve care through objective data.

Contribution

This is the first rapid review specifically examining the feasibility and utility of wearables in psychiatric inpatient settings.

Findings

Wearable devices may provide objective data to complement subjective reporting in mental health care.

The review will synthesize evidence on feasibility, acceptability, and clinical utility of wearables in inpatient settings.

Findings will inform future research and clinical practice on integrating wearables into psychiatric care.

Abstract

Wearable devices offer an opportunity to objectively monitor and capture sleep and activity in psychiatric inpatient settings, where traditional approaches often rely on subjective reporting or staff observation, both of which have inherent flaws. Technologies such as Fitbit, Garmin, Oura Ring, GENEActiv, Empatica, and WHOOP (among others) have been used to passively collect physiological data that may inform care planning and clinical decision-making. Despite growing interest, the extent to which these wearables are feasible, acceptable, and useful in inpatient mental health settings remains unclear. Synthesizing this evidence is essential to inform their potential integration into psychiatric care.

This study aims to conduct a rapid review to examine the current use, utility, feasibility, and implementation of wearable devices for tracking sleep and/or activity in inpatient mental health settings. To date, no review has examined inpatient settings specifically.

A rapid review will be conducted using Cochrane Rapid Review methods. Peer-reviewed literature will be searched in four databases: (1) PubMed, (2) Embase, (3) PsycInfo, and (4) CINAHL. Studies will be included if they report on the use of wearable devices in inpatient psychiatric settings and evaluate outcomes related to feasibility, acceptability, clinical utility, or implementation. Data extraction will be conducted using a standardized extraction template, and findings will be synthesized narratively and via descriptive statistics.

Database searches are currently underway. The review is expected to be completed by June 2026. A manuscript detailing the findings of this review will be published thereafter.

This rapid review will provide timely evidence to support the integration of wearable technologies into psychiatric inpatient settings. Findings will inform future research and clinical practice focused on the use of wearables for sleep and activity monitoring, contributing to more responsive and data-informed mental health care.

PRR1-10.2196/82290