ArticleJMIR research protocols2026
Environmental Exposure and Mental Health in Hong Kong: Protocol for a GPS- and Biosensor-Based Observational Study.
Article in JMIR research protocols, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundEnvironmental exposure, including green-blue space and walkability, may influence mental health through various physiological pathways. Traditional methods have limitations in capturing dynamic environmental exposure effects on mental health.
objectiveThis study aims to investigate the associations between minute-level environmental exposure and stress-related biomarkers using GPS-based measurements and wrist-worn biosensors in an urban population.
methodsIn this prospective observational study, we will recruit 750 participants (aged 18-80 years) in Hong Kong from September 2024 to December 2026. This includes a pilot study supported by internal funds starting in September 2024 and external funding from the Health and Medical Research Fund by the Hong Kong Health Bureau in July 2025. Participants will undergo a 1-week experiment wearing biosensors and carrying GPS devices while completing daily surveys and entry and exit questionnaires. Primary outcomes include digital biomarkers (electrodermal activity, blood volume pulse, and skin temperature) from wrist-worn sensors and associations with the environmental exposures of air pollution, urban density, and green-blue space access. Secondary outcomes comprise questionnaire responses, physical activity metrics from accelerometer data, and environmental exposure assessments, including mobility barriers, land use mix, road accessibility, and thermal conditions. Focus groups will be conducted to refine study protocol and assess device-wearing experience.
resultsThe study received ethical approval from the Human Ethic Research Committee (award numbers: EA240125 and EA240514). As of June 30, 2025, a total of 150 participants completed the pilot study (September 2024 onwards), achieving a 94% (141/150) completion rate with strong device compliance (141/150, 94% valid biosensor days; 137/150, 91% daily questionnaires). Protocol refinements based on participant feedback were implemented without altering core instruments. The main study supported by the Health and Medical Research Fund, commenced in July 2025, with 30 participants enrolled as of September 2025. Data collection for 750 participants will continue until December 2026. We are at an early stage of data cleaning and preprocessing for the pilot study. Data analysis is expected to be completed by June 2027, with results anticipated to be published in 2027 and 2028.
conclusionsThis study's innovative integration of continuous environmental monitoring and stress-related biomarker may provide new insights into environment-health relationships. Findings will inform public health initiatives for mental well-being promotion and urban planning interventions. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/84919.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.