Wearable-based physical activity and sleep monitoring in substance use disorder treatment settings is feasible but requires structural and procedural safeguards to manage high wearable loss rates.
In a longitudinal study across 8 SUD treatment and recovery service sites in Western Australia, 13 out of 63 wearables (20.6%) were permanently lost, compared to approximately 1% in general population studies. Loss occurred almost exclusively in residential care settings and coincided with participant exit from treatment, with no losses due to technical malfunction or deliberate non-compliance.
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Wearable-based physical activity and sleep monitoring in substance use disorder treatment settings is feasible but requires structural and procedural safeguards to manage high wearable loss rates. The current body of evidence comprises 1 study. EvidenceHub rates the overall confidence at 32/100 (low).
The Claim
Wearable-based physical activity and sleep monitoring in substance use disorder treatment settings is feasible but requires structural and procedural safeguards to manage high wearable loss rates.
This conclusion is most relevant to: 63 participants across 8 substance use disorder treatment and recovery service sites in Western Australia (residential, continued-care, and community-based services).
What the Research Shows
The conclusion draws on 1 linked study. Highlights from the cited literature:
- ▸Feasibility of Using Wearables to Monitor Physical Activity and Sleep During Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Insights From a Longitudinal Study. (Substance use & addiction journal, 2026) —
How It Works
The proposed biological pathway:
- ▸Wearables were deployed to participants in SUD treatment settings.
- ▸Wearable loss was tracked as a key feasibility outcome.
- ▸Advisory group (lived experience, stakeholders, researchers) contextualized challenges via qualitative content analysis.
- ▸High loss rates (20.6%) were identified, primarily in residential settings during treatment transitions.
- ▸Recommendations include integrating wearable retrieval into discharge workflows and clarifying responsibility between research teams and service partners.
Who Might Benefit
Evidence fit by population:
- ▸63 participants across 8 substance use disorder treatment and recovery service sites in Western Australia (residential, continued-care, and community-based services)
Recommended Dose
N/A
Limitations & Caveats
Important context when interpreting this evidence:
- ▸Single study with a relatively small sample size (63 participants) and specific geographic region (Western Australia), limiting generalizability.
- ▸Wearable loss was the primary feasibility outcome; other feasibility aspects (e.g., data completeness, user acceptance) were not quantitatively assessed.
- ▸Qualitative analysis relied on advisory group perspectives, which may not fully represent all participant experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the wearable loss rate in this study?▼
13 out of 63 wearables (20.6%) were permanently lost, compared to approximately 1% in general population studies.
Where did wearable loss most commonly occur?▼
Loss occurred almost exclusively in residential care settings, with rates ranging from 14.3% to 42.9% across facilities, and coincided with participant exit from treatment.
Were any wearable losses due to technical malfunction or deliberate non-compliance?▼
No, no losses were attributable to technical malfunction or deliberate non-compliance.
What recommendations were made to improve feasibility?▼
Recommendations include integrating wearable retrieval into discharge workflows and clarifying responsibility between research teams and service partners to anticipate high rates of unplanned treatment discontinuation.
References
- 1.Thal S, Pang B, McVeigh J, Richardson C, Myers B. “Feasibility of Using Wearables to Monitor Physical Activity and Sleep During Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Insights From a Longitudinal Study..” Substance use & addiction journal, 2026. PMID: 42606155 DOI: 10.1177/29767342261476441