Study Methods

Study Aim

The aim of the study is to design, develop and pilot test a digital health platform to enhance student well-being.

diagram explaining the four objectives of this study

Study Design

Mixed methods
(Qualitative and quantitative research method)

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research can be defined as the study of the nature of phenomena and is especially appropriate for answering questions of why something is (not) observed, assessing complex multi-component interventions, and focussing on intervention improvement.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research focuses on numeric and unchanging data and detailed, convergent reasoning rather than divergent reasoning. It deals in numbers, logic, and an objective stance.

Study Sites

Panimalar Medical College Hospital & Research Institute

Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai, Tamil Nadu- 600123, India

Parul Institute of Public Health, Parul University

P.O. Limda, Waghodia, Vadodara, Gujarat- 391760, India

Government Doon Medical College

Patel Nagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand- 248001, India

Foundation of Healthcare Technologies Society

321, 322 & 323 Third floor, Somdatt Chamber 2, 9 Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi, Delhi 110066, India

Study Methods

Objectives
Methods
Outcome

To identify the multiple determinants impacting dimensions of well-being among
undergraduate &graduate students

Pre-defined questionnaire & validated tools to identify multiple determinants affecting the
well-being.

Development of Well being Index

To design and develop an interactive digital intervention for various
dimensions of well-being

Determinants from the objective 1 & 2 FGDs per site.

Design development of Human Centered Digital Health Interventions

To evaluate the feasibility and acceptance of digital health intervention and
their role to enhance the well-being of undergraduate and graduate students.

A randomised control trial: Intervention group-mobile/ web- based platform with tailored
well-being related education.

Acceptability of Digital Health

To evaluate the role of digital health intervention ,its adhereance and
engagement in enhancing the well-being of undergraduate and graduate students.

A randomised control trial: Intervention group-mobile/ web- based platform with tailored
well-being related education.

Effectiveness of Digital Health Intervention

Sample Size

College Sample Size
Panimalar Medical College Hospital & Research Institute, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 2500
Parul University, Post Limda, Waghodia, Vadodara, Gujarat 2500
Government Doon Medical College, Patel Nagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 1020

Study Eligibility

Inclusion criteria
  • The eligible study participants will be 18 years older
  • Enrolled in one of the colleges: Government Doon Medical College (GDMC), Patel Nagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Panimalar Medical College Hospital & Research Institute, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and Parul University, Post Limda, Waghodia, Gujarat
  • Having access to Wi-Fi/internet-enabled devices and being willing to give consent to participate in the study
Exclusion criteria
  • Participants less than 18 years older
  • Not enrolled in the institute
  • Involuntary consent will be excluded from the study

Proposed Outcomes

The study will help to identify multiple determinants affecting well-being of undergraduate and graduate students.

Explore the role of digital health interventions to enhance the good health and well-being of undergraduate and graduate students.

Help in designing and developing individualized, tailored and interactive internet-enabled digital health interventions to manage well-being of undergraduate and graduate students.

Intervention

diagram explaining the process of digital intervention

Study Variables

Socio-demographic profile
The socio-demographic details of the participant will be collected using self-administered questionnaire.
General Self-Efficacy Scale
It will be evaluated through the General self-efficacy scale. It is a 10-item scale to assess the ability to cope with the daily challenging demands or situations in life.

Reference:

The General Self [Internet]. Fu-berlin.de. 2023 [cited 2023 Jun 30]. Available from:
http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/health/engscal.htm

Multi-Dimensional Scale Of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS)
Multi-dimensional Scale of perceived social support will be used to collect the data. It includes sub-scales of support from family, friends, and significant others to assess the perceived social support.

Reference:

Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) | Measures Library [Internet]. Miami.edu. 2023 [cited 2023 Jun 30]. Available from: https://elcentro.sonhs.miami.edu/research/measures-library/mspss/index.html

Perceived Stress Scale
The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is the most commonly used psychological instrument for assessing stress perception. It is a measure of how stressful conditions are perceived to be.

Reference:

Cohen S. PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE [Internet]. 1994. Available from:
https://www.mindgarden.com/documents/PerceivedStressScale.pdf

WHO-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5)
The scale assessess subjective psychological well-being

Brief Resilience Scale
The scale contains behavioural response to stress to assess the perceived ability to bounce back or recover from stress

Well-Being Locus of Control Scale
It is a scale containing a series of statements of people’s beliefs that their health was or was not determined by their own behavior.

Ethical Approval

Panimalar Medical College Hospital & Research Institute, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Ethical committee approved the study in April 2023 with approval number PMCHRI-IHEC-071.

Parul University Institutional Ethical committee for Human Research(PU-IECHR), registered under DCGI, GoI (Reg.No. ECR/702/Inst/GJ/2015/RR-21) approved the study in December 2022, with approval number PUIECHR/PIMSR/00/081734/5310.

Government Doon Medical College, Patel Nagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand Institutional Ethical committee approved the study on April 2023 with approval number GDMC/IEC/2023/36.

SMAART Well-being

Well-being is defined as a positive state encountered by an individual comprising quality of life and abilities to contribute to development. It is a valuable resource influenced by societal dynamics, economic factors and environmental conditions