Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Human Factors
Date Submitted: Oct 14, 2021
Open Peer Review Period: Oct 14, 2021 - Dec 9, 2021
Date Accepted: May 1, 2022
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Users’ Perceptions of e- and mHealth Services Promoting Physical Activity and Healthy Diets: a Systematic Review
ABSTRACT
Background:
Physical activity (PA) and a diet following general recommendations can help to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, society does not include successful strategies supporting healthy lifestyles as most adults do not meet the current guidelines. Growing evidence demonstrates the promising outlook of electronic health (eHealth) and mobile health (mHealth) services promoting healthy habits. The long-term effectiveness, however, is uncertain because of the high degree of non-compliance.
Objective:
To explore users’ perceptions of acceptability, engagement and usability of e- and mHealth services promoting PA, healthy diets, or both in the primary or secondary prevention of NCDs.
Methods:
A systematic review with a narrative synthesis was conducted. The literature search was performed in February 2021 and July 2021 and was limited to studies published in English between 2016 and 2021 using PubMed, PsycINFO and CINAHL as electronic databases. Qualitative and mixed-method studies encompassing e- and mHealth services for adults focusing on PA, healthy diet, or both in the primary or secondary prevention of NCDs were included. Three authors screened the studies independently. Qualitative data were analyzed independently by two of the authors following a thematic analysis process.
Results:
With an initial finding of 6308 articles and the removal of 427 duplicates, 23 articles were deemed eligible and included in the review. Based on users’ preferences, an overarching theme; e-and mHealth services provide value but need to be shaped, and five sub-themes emerged: 1) Interactive and Integrated, 2) Varying and Multifunctional, 3) Easy, Pedagogic and Attractive, 4) Individualized and Customizable and 5) Secure and Reliable.
Conclusions:
New evidence presenting how to optimize digital services promoting PA and healthy diets has been synthesized. The findings represent users’ perceptions of acceptability, engagement and usability of e- and mHealth services and show that services should be personalized, dynamic, easily manageable and reliable. Following these findings can be useful to improve the compliance with digital services promoting a healthy lifestyle.
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