A UAMS NIH-funded digital health study needed 128 participants with mild to moderate depression. Within 10 weeks, it had 103, well ahead of schedule, said Carolyn Greene, Ph.D., who is leading the study. TRI’s ARresearch registry of volunteers, she said, has provided about 20 participants.

“That was a good way for us to kick-start this study,” said Greene, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Division of Health Services Research.

Greene’s study is targeting UAMS primary care patients with untreated depression. She said finding such patients for her study is difficult because they may not be coming in for regular doctor visits, or may not feel comfortable discussing their mental health with their doctors.

“That’s where the ARresearch database was extremely helpful to us,” she said.

Greene, who is also the national manager of Mental Health Web Services at the Department of Veterans Affairs, said the study is conducted online or over the phone, from screening to receipt of a gift card for participants.

For eight weeks, a coach will help patients with downloading and using a portfolio of mobile apps, and provide encouragement.

The apps use evidence-based cognitive behavioral tools and have shown that they can help significantly reduce depression. Greene’s study will address how the apps, combined with a coach, could fit into UAMS’ system of care.

“The goal isn’t for the coach to replace a therapist, but to help them use the apps to learn skills and tools to become their own therapist,” Greene said.

The study includes gathering input from clinicians and administrators.

“Our goal is to solve a problem for the primary care clinics, which have many patients with mild to moderate depression but not a lot of resources to provide interventions,” she said.