An international, Delphi consensus study to identify priorities for methodological research in behavioral trials in health research

Abstract

Background: Non-communicable chronic diseases are linked to behavioral risk factors (including smoking, poor diet and physical inactivity), so effective behavior change interventions are needed to improve population health. However, uptake and impact of these interventions is limited by methodological challenges. We aimed to identify and achieve consensus on priorities for methodological research in behavioral trials in health research among an international behavioral science community. Methods: An international, Delphi consensus study was conducted. Fifteen core members of the International Behavioral Trials Network (IBTN) were invited to generate methodological items that they consider important. From these, the research team agreed a "long-list" of unique items. Two online surveys were administered to IBTN members (N = 306). Respondents rated the importance of items on a 9-point scale, and ranked their "top-five" priorities. In the second survey, respondents received feedback on others' responses, before rerating items and re-selecting their top five. Results: Nine experts generated 144 items, which were condensed to a long-list of 33 items. The four most highly endorsed items, in both surveys 1 (n = 77) and 2 (n = 57), came from two thematic categories:"Intervention development" ("Specifying intervention components" and "Tailoring interventions to specific populations and contexts") and "Implementation" ("How to disseminate behavioral trial research findings to increase implementation" and "Methods for ensuring that behavioral interventions are implementable into practice and policy"). "Development of novel research designs to test behavioral interventions" also emerged as a highly ranked research priority. Conclusions: From a wide array of identified methodological issues, intervention development, implementation and novel research designs are key themes to drive the future behavioral trials' research agenda. Funding bodies should prioritize these issues in resource allocation.

From the United Kingdom to Australia—Adapting a Web-Based Self-management Education Program to Support the Management of Type 2 Diabetes: Tutorial

“…The incorporation of stakeholder input into the design of behavioral interventions to improve public health is critical, as is the development of strategies for optimal and sustained stakeholder engagement [ 51 ]. The engagement of a diverse group of stakeholders in the contextual adaptation of MyDESMOND facilitated input and buy-in from funders, service providers, health professionals, and others who stood to be affected by the implementation of the program in the short and long term.…”

Why and how to engage expert stakeholders in ontology development: insights from social and behavioural sciences

“…Related examples from social and behavioural sciences: Links between Behaviour Change Techniques and Mechanisms of Action [41] Delphi consensus to identify priorities for methodological research in behavioural trials in health research [42] Behaviour Change Techniques Taxonomy v1 [21] Discussions Experts are invited to engage in online discussions with other experts on a specific topic, e.g. relationships between certain ontology entities.…”

“…An example of such methods used in social sciences include the Theories and Techniques Project, a Nominal Group Technique study where 105 international behaviour change experts iteratively rated, discussed and rerated links between 61 commonly used Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) and 26 Mechanisms of Action (MoAs) [39,41]. Another study used an international Delphi consensus to identify priorities for methodological research in behavioural trials in health research in 15 core members of the International Behavioural Trials Network [42].…”

Why and how to engage expert stakeholders in ontology development: Insights from social and behavioural sciences

“…Links between Behaviour Change Techniques and Mechanisms of Action (Connell et al 2019) Delphi consensus to identify priorities for methodological research in behavioral trials in health research (Byrne et al 2020b) Behaviour Change Techniques Taxonomy v1 (Michie et al, 2015) Discussions Experts are invited to engage in online discussions with other experts on a specific topic, e.g. relationships between certain ontology entities.…”

“…international Delphi consensus to identify priorities for methodological research in behavioral trials in health research in 15 core members of the International Behavioural Trials Network (Byrne et al 2020b).…”