Do low-SES patients have smartphones? Do they lose smartphones, change numbers, or lose service?

A majority of low SES patients own smartphones and the proportion is rising rapidly. A 2016 survey found that 64% of adults in the US who earn less than $30,000 per year own smartphones (Pew 2017), up from 50% in 2014 (Smith, 2015). While some loss or damage to smartphones may be inevitable, we mitigate this by: a) encouraging patients to use a smartphone they already own; b) emphasizing the ongoing financial incentives patients can earn by continuing to participate on their mobile device; and c) offering an equipment return fee for study-provided phones after study completion.