Cambridge Cognition Holdings plc (AIM:COG), a leading digital neuroscience software development firm, has teamed up with charity 4YouandMe and The Centre for International Emergency Medical Services (CIEMS) to launch a study using mobile phones to assess the stress recovery rates of frontline Covid-19 healthcare workers in the USA.

The project is to be funded by charitable donations, and the study will take place over a 6-12 month period across up to 500 participants. With mobile phones being so commonly stored in pockets during the working day, they provide a unique opportunity to chart the ‘subtle fluctuations in wellbeing’ of healthcare workers throughout their shift, as they cope with the tremendous emotional stress of caring for Covid-19 positive patients.

While the ‘primary goal’ of the study is to determine whether mobile phones can be used to detect and chart ‘real-time changes in stress and recovery’, Cambridge Cognition is also looking to see if high stress levels can inform a greater risk of Covid-19 infection.

Stress can take an enormous toll on psychological and emotional health, but it can also negatively impact the immune system, causing greater susceptibility to contracting a virus or infection. With frontline Covid-19 healthcare workers enduring intense stress levels, the study is designed to assess how this pressure may relate to the disproportionately high rate of medical professionals contracting the virus.

Matthew Stork, Chief Executive Officer at Cambridge Cognition, welcomed the study’s announcement in a statement this morning:

“Tracking stress and recovery for frontline healthcare workers is important research and we are pleased to provide our cognitive assessment expertise for this project. Wearables and mobile phones are unparalleled for tracking real-time responses and Cambridge Cognition has extensive experience in virtual trials such as this. We hope that the environment for healthcare workers may be improved in the future as a result of the objective information gathered in the study”.

Earlier this week, biotechnology firm Avacta (LON:AVCT) confirmed it has launched a collaboration with Integumen (LON:SKIN) to develop a testing system for the presence of Covid-19 proteins in waste water.