Exploring Users’ Experiences of the Uptake and Adoption of Physical Activity Apps: Longitudinal Qualitative Study

Baretta, Dario; Perski, Olga; Steca, Patrizia

doi:10.2196/11636

Cited by 44 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…21 App features that are tailored to address a user's behavior motives, promote self-regulation as well as be relatable were found to contribute to a longer duration of engagement with mobile apps. 22 The ability of SCDGs to tailor behavior goals to a person's ability, tailor content, or incentives to diverse cultural or literacy preferences and earn game incentives through obstacles and feedback in the SCDG based on the participant's real-time progress in those behaviors could be attributes that sustain longer term usage of SCDG. Digital games such as Su-perBetter have been shown to reduce depressive symptoms, motivate users in difficult life situations, and help them retain good habits.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Personalizing Sensor-Controlled Digital Gaming to Self-Management Needs of Older Adults with Heart Failure: A Qualitative Study

Radhakrishnan

Baranowski

O'Hair³

et al. 2020

Games for Health Journal

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Objectives: In older persons with heart failure (HF), an inability to self-manage their disease condition can result in poor health outcomes and quality of life. With the rise in smartphone use and digital game playing among older adults, digital tools such as sensor-controlled digital games (SCDGs) can offer accessible healthpromoting tools that are enjoyable and easy to use. However, designing SCDGs that are compelling and aligned with their life values and self-management needs can be challenging. This article describes a qualitative study with older adults with HF who were recruited from a cardiac rehabilitation laboratory in central Texas to identify their perceptions and expectations regarding a SCDG for HF self-management. Materials and Methods: A low-fidelity prototype that demonstrated the features of a SCDG was used to obtain the participants' perceptions about the value of SCDGs for HF self-management with respect to content, customization, flexibility, and usability through qualitative interviews. Results: We interviewed 15 patients with HF (53% women; age range, 53-90 years; 60% white). The concept of SCDGs for HF self-management was highly acceptable (80%). Participants provided suggestions for game characters, progress in the game, and game notifications and incentives. Perceived benefits included helping users track their behaviors and establish routines, become informed on strategies to manage HF, and empower themselves to take charge of their health. Conclusions: The study's findings will guide personalization of SCDG development to motivate patient engagement in HF self-management behaviors.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Personalizing Sensor-Controlled Digital Gaming to Self-Management Needs of Older Adults with Heart Failure: A Qualitative Study

Radhakrishnan

Baranowski

O'Hair³

et al. 2020

Games for Health Journal

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“…An underlying challenge of these technology-supported interventions is the high attrition rates, with users stopping the use of these systems after a few days or weeks [ 14 - 16 ]. Among the factors associated with user abandonment are that apps are largely targeted at generally healthy individuals and do not address the specific needs of the end users [ 17 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Personalized Physical Activity Coaching App for Breast Cancer Survivors: Design Process and Early Prototype Testing

Monteiro-Guerra¹,

Signorelli²,

Tadas³

et al. 2020

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

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Background Existing evidence supports the many benefits of physical activity (PA) in breast cancer survival. However, few breast cancer survivors adhere to the recommended levels of activity. A PA coaching app that provides personalized feedback, guidance, and motivation to the user might have the potential to engage these individuals in a more active lifestyle, in line with the general recommendations. To develop a successful tool, it is important to involve the end users in the design process and to make theoretically grounded design decisions. Objective This study aimed to execute the design process and early prototype evaluation of a personalized PA coaching app for posttreatment breast cancer survivors. In particular, the study explored a design combining behavioral theory and tailored coaching strategies. Methods The design process was led by a multidisciplinary team, including technical and health professionals, and involved input from a total of 22 survivors. The process comprised 3 stages. In stage 1, the literature was reviewed and 14 patients were interviewed to understand the needs and considerations of the target population toward PA apps. In stage 2, the global use case for the tool was defined, the features were ideated and refined based on theory, and a digital interactive prototype was created. In stage 3, the prototype went through usability testing with 8 patients and was subjected to quality and behavior change potential evaluations by 2 human-computer interaction experts. Results The design process has led to the conceptualization of a personalized coaching app for walking activities that addresses the needs of breast cancer survivors. The main features of the tool include a training plan and schedule, adaptive goal setting, real-time feedback and motivation during walking sessions, activity status through the day, activity history, weekly summary reports, and activity challenges. The system was designed to measure users’ cadence during walking, use this measure to infer their training zone, and provide real-time coaching to control the intensity of the walking sessions. The outcomes from user testing and expert evaluation of the digital prototype were very positive, with scores from the system usability scale, mobile app rating scale, and app behavior change scale of 95 out of 100, 4.6 out of 5, and 15 out of 21, respectively. Conclusions Implementing a user-centered design approach for the development and early evaluation of an app brings essential considerations to tailor the solution to the user’s needs and context. In addition, informing the design on behavioral and tailored coaching theories supports the conceptualization of the PA coaching system. This is critical for optimizing the usability, acceptability, and long-term effectiveness of the tool. After successful early in-laboratory testing, the app will be developed and evaluated in a pilot study in a real-world setting.

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“…For example, apps for physical activity or mindfulness meditation, which have typically been designed to be kept open while performing the target behavior, may generate larger amounts of engagement. Hence, it may be easier for users to reflect on their daily engagement with such apps [51,52].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Daily Fluctuations in Psychological and App-Related Variables Predict Engagement With an Alcohol Reduction App? A Series of N-Of-1 Studies

Perski¹,

Naughton²,

Garnett³

et al. 2019

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

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Background Previous studies have identified psychological and smartphone app–related predictors of engagement with alcohol reduction apps at a group level. However, strategies to promote engagement need to be effective at the individual level. Evidence as to whether group-level predictors of engagement are also predictive for individuals is lacking. Objective The aim of this study was to examine whether daily fluctuations in (1) the receipt of a reminder, (2) motivation to reduce alcohol, (3) perceived usefulness of the app, (4) alcohol consumption, and (5) perceived lack of time predicted within-person variability in the frequency and amount of engagement with an alcohol reduction app. Methods We conducted a series of observational N-of-1 studies. The predictor variables were measured twice daily for 28 days via ecological momentary assessments. The outcome variables were measured through automated recordings of the participants’ app screen views. A total of nine London-based adults who drank alcohol excessively and were willing to set a reduction goal took part. Each participant’s dataset was analyzed separately using generalized additive mixed models to derive incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for the within-person associations of the predictor and outcome variables. Debriefing interviews, analyzed using thematic analysis, were used to contextualize the findings. Results Predictors of the frequency and amount of engagement differed between individuals, and for the variables 'perceived usefulness of the app' and 'perceived lack of time', the direction of associations also differed between individuals. The most consistent predictors of within-person variability in the frequency of engagement were the receipt of a daily reminder (IRR=1.80-3.88; P<.05) and perceived usefulness of the app (IRR=0.82-1.42; P<.05). The most consistent predictors of within-person variability in the amount of engagement were motivation to reduce alcohol (IRR=1.67-3.45; P<.05) and perceived usefulness of the app (IRR=0.52-137.32; P<.05). Conclusions The utility of the selected psychological and app-related variables in predicting the frequency and amount of engagement with an alcohol reduction app differed at the individual level. This highlights that key within-person associations may be masked in group-level designs and suggests that different strategies to promote engagement may be required for different individuals.

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Exploring Users’ Experiences of the Uptake and Adoption of Physical Activity Apps: Longitudinal Qualitative Study

Cited by 44 publications

References 38 publications

Personalizing Sensor-Controlled Digital Gaming to Self-Management Needs of Older Adults with Heart Failure: A Qualitative Study

Personalizing Sensor-Controlled Digital Gaming to Self-Management Needs of Older Adults with Heart Failure: A Qualitative Study

A Personalized Physical Activity Coaching App for Breast Cancer Survivors: Design Process and Early Prototype Testing

Do Daily Fluctuations in Psychological and App-Related Variables Predict Engagement With an Alcohol Reduction App? A Series of N-Of-1 Studies

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