Apple continues its efforts to improve health and well-being by helping out UCLA on a three-year study on depression and anxiety. Researchers hope to discover how sleep and exercise affect both conditions. For the pilot phase, UCLA has drawn about 150 persons from its Health medical center. In 2021, The organization hopes to expand its research to its student body and 3,000 persons.
UCLA calls the study “The Depression Grand Challenge.”
Apple’s Health Improvement Efforts
For the study, Apple will give volunteers Apple Watches and Beddit devices to track their sleep patterns. Apple had acquired the Beddit startup in 2017. To use Beddit, volunteers will have to download an app to their iPhones.
Apple sponsors a three-year UCLA study on depression and anxiety https://t.co/b8HHCVt3Qz pic.twitter.com/6ZXWmHeTtI
— Engadget (@engadget) August 4, 2020
Possible Issues for the Apple and UCLA Team Up
UCLA adds that privacy will not be an issue for the study. They plan to conduct it remotely, and they will remove any personal info from the data they collect. Through this research, UCLA hopes to discover better and faster ways to diagnose depressive symptoms. The school also hopes to gain the ability to prevent depressive episodes.
Apple Wants to Keep You Healthy
Apple has launched a slew of health and wellness apps in recent years. For iOS 8, launched in 2014, Apple released HealthKit, a service that monitors your health and fitness levels. Aside from these features, Apple also announced it would include a sleep tracking service to watchOS 7.
