0304 Attitudes Towards Mobile Technologies for Sleep and Circadian Health Promotion Among Military Personnel

Abstract Introduction Mobile technologies, including wearable devices and mobile apps, have been widely promoted as potentially effective tools for the assessment and improvement of sleep and circadian health in populations at high risk for circadian disruption, such as military personnel. However, little research has been done to assess the perceived utility of these technologies within this population. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively assess attitudes towards the use of mobile technologies for the promotion of sleep health among active duty service members. Methods Five focus groups were conducted with active duty Marines (N = 30; 90% male, 10% female) as part of a needs assessment designed to identify current sleep-related needs and potential intervention approaches. Focus group transcripts were analyzed by two independent coders using applied thematic analysis to identify and interpret salient themes. Results Many participants reported currently using wearable devices capable of providing data on sleep health, including Apple watches and Fitbits, and some reported using popular sleep-focused apps. Despite the current use of these technologies, participants expressed ambivalence about future interventions that exclusively relied on apps or wearables to promote sleep and circadian health. Instead, participating Marines reported a desire for other approaches for promoting sleep health, with many describing a preference for in-person, small-group education sessions led by civilian facilitators. Participants reported that education sessions may increase motivation among Marines to improve their sleep hygiene behaviors or provide instruction on how to maximize the utility of wearable devices (e.g., “If they already have the smartwatch capability and you say, ‘Hey, this would be an excellent tool.’ I think that gives them some sort of metric to compare themselves to.”) Additionally, participants expressed a desire for organizational efforts to improve sleep health, including leadership training and scheduling interventions. Conclusion Study results indicate that wearables and other technological interventions for sleep may be acceptable among active duty Marines, but that they must be accompanied by other strategies to maximize their effectiveness in this population. Support (if any)