Evaluating psychological anxiety in patients receiving radiation therapy using smartwatch

Purpose: Patients undergoing radiation therapy (RT) often experience psychological anxiety that manifests as muscle contraction. Our study explored psychological anxiety in these patients by using biological signals recorded using a smartwatch. Materials and Methods: Informed consent was obtained from participating patients prior to the initiation of RT. The patients wore a smartwatch from the waiting room until the conclusion of the treatment. The smartwatch acquired data related to heart rate features (average, minimum, and maximum) and stress score features (average, minimum, and maximum). On the first day of treatment, we analyzed the participants’ heart rates and stress scores before and during the treatment. The acquired data were categorized according to sex and age. For patients with more than three days of data, we observed trends in heart rate during treatment relative to heart rate before treatment (HRtb) over the course of treatment. Statistical analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and paired t-test. Results: Twenty-nine individuals participated in the study, of which 17 had more than 3 days of data. During treatment, all patients exhibited elevated heart rates and stress scores, particularly those in the younger groups. The HRtb levels decreased as treatment progresses. Conclusion: Patients undergoing RT experience notable psychological anxiety, which tends to diminish as the treatment progresses. Early stage interventions are crucial to alleviate patient anxiety during RT.