PolarUs App for Bipolar Disorder
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
Our team recently pilot tested a new mobile app, PolarUs, co-designed with people who live with bipolar disorder (BD), to support BD self-management and quality of life (QoL) measurement. An initial study suggested the app improved QoL and mood scores over time among participants in Canada and the United States.
This project aims to fully assess whether PolarUs improves QoL and mood outcomes in diverse people with BD living in Canada and the United States. To achieve this, we have (1) culturally and linguistically adapted the English version of PolarUs into French, Mandarin, and Spanish, and (2) are now conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess whether PolarUs (in all 4 languages) improves QoL and mood outcomes in adults living with BD in Canada and the United States.
Participants will:
1. Attend an eligibility assessment interview to confirm their eligibility to participate.
2. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned (like flipping a coin) to one of two groups:
Group 1 - Receive access to the PolarUs app through participants' Android (Google) or iOS (Apple) mobile device for a period of 12 weeks.
Group 2 - Receive access to the PolarUs app after a 12-week waiting period. During the waiting period, participants will only receive study assessments.
3. Participants will complete study assessments at the beginning and end of the 12-week period and, where appropriate, monthly during the study period.
We aim to recruit approximately 480 participants from Canada and the United States to take part in the study. We would also like to understand how people with bipolar disorder use and engage with the app.
Who Is on the Research Team?
Sahil Kanani, BSc
Principal Investigator
University of British Columbia
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for adults living in Canada or the United States who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Participants need to be able to use a smartphone and speak English, French, Mandarin, or Spanish.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- PolarUs Mobile App
Trial Overview
The study tests whether using the PolarUs mobile app for 12 weeks helps people with bipolar disorder manage their condition and improve quality of life compared to those who wait 12 weeks before getting access. Participants are randomly assigned to either group.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Participants in the intervention arm will receive access to the PolarUs app (one of the English, French, Chinese, Spanish versions, based on participant choice) on their device (iOS or Android) for a period of 12 weeks. Participants will also receive study assessments (i.e., self-report outcome measures administered monthly).
Participants in the control condition will only receive study assessments (i.e., self-report outcome measures administered monthly). For equity, participants will receive access to the PolarUs app (English, French, Chinese, Spanish version) on their device (iOS or Android) after the 12-week study period.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of British Columbia
Lead Sponsor
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Collaborator
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