Description
PASCAL is a mobile application designed for a research study that investigates the use of digital health technology to help people who smoke quit smoking by managing their cravings. The app consists of a graphical user interface that lets users log their smoking events and subsequently interact with a chatbot developed to deliver reminders to study participants based on the patterns discovered based on logged events and a conversation with the participant.
Usage
PASCAL can be installed from the Apple App Store by iOS users and from a direct link to the APK for Android users. Android users can use the download link below to download the pascal_12.apk file which is the installer for the PASCAL app. Once this file is downloaded onto an Android smartphone, the users can follow subsequent installation instructions on their phone.
Privacy Policy
PASCAL is a mobile app developed solely for the purpose of research. Use of this app is available only to eligible participants that have provided their consent to enroll in a research study that uses PASCAL. This app is not available for public use outside of a research study context. In order to use the app, an enrolled participant will need to enter a code issued by the research study during the enrollment process.
What information is collected
PASCAL collects data necessary for the research study to function. This includes the smoking events data self-reported by participants (e.g. time of smoking events, reasons for smoking, location of smoking (e.g. home, car, etc.) and text and voice data generated by the participant during the app's operation - i.e. during conversations with the chatbot or during setting up of manual reminders. Voice and text data is the most sensitive of the types of data that will be collected and can potentially be identifiable.
How the information is used
The information collected by this app will be used to characterize the participant's patterns of smoking to inform the chatbot in guiding the participants' quit attempt and will be analyzed by authorized study staff to answer scientific and practical questions consistent with the study aims. These data will not be used for any other purpose such as sales, product targeting or any other purpose that is not consistent with the approved study IRB protocol for a specific study.
How the information is collected
As participants log their smoking events and interact with the chatbot and the PASCAL app, their data will be recorded on the smartphone and then securely transferred to the study servers to enable responses from the chatbot and for subsequent data analysis by authorized study staff. After the study participation ends and the participant deletes the PASCAL app from their smartphone, all locally stored participant data will be deleted from the smartphone but will remain on the secure study servers.
How we store and protect the information
All data is stored anonymously. Access to the study data is only be available to those working on data collection (e.g., investigators, study coordinators) or those that are involved in the analysis and are authorized to access the data.
Download APK (v15) for Android users
iOS users Instructions
iOS users need to first install the free TestFlight app from the Apple App Store. Then open this web page on your phone's browser (e.g., Safari) and then follow this link (https://testflight.apple.com/join/pqR8X8GW).