Digital Monitoring of Sleep, Meals, and Physical Activity for Reducing Depression in Older Spousally-Bereaved Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a behavioral intervention and explore its impact on depression symptom burden among older spousally-bereaved adults. Methods: Participants were age >= 60 years, bereaved <= 8 months, and at high risk for depression. Participants were randomized to 12 weeks of digital monitoring of sleep, meals, and physical activity; digital monitoring plus health coaching; or enhanced usual care and followed for 9 months for new-episode depression. Results: We enrolled 57 participants, 85% of eligible adults and 38% of all adults screened. We observed high levels of adherence in both digital monitoring (90%) and health coaching (92%); 88% of participants were retained. In linear mixed-effects models, depression symptoms significantly decreased, but the interaction between time and intervention was not significant. Conclusion: A behavioral intervention that uses both digital monitoring and motivational health coaching is feasible and acceptable to older bereaved adults.