Toward a Digital Platform for the Self-Management of Noncommunicable Disease: Systematic Review of Platform-Like Interventions

BackgroundDigital interventions are effective for health behavior change, as they enable the self-management of chronic, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). However, they often fail to facilitate the specific or current needs and preferences of the individual. A proposed alternative is a digital platfo...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tighe, Sarah A, Ball, Kylie, Kensing, Finn, Kayser, Lars, Rawstorn, Jonathan C, Maddison, Ralph
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2020-10-01
Series:Journal of Medical Internet Research
Online Access:http://www.jmir.org/2020/10/e16774/
_version_ 1819241620295385088
author Tighe, Sarah A
Ball, Kylie
Kensing, Finn
Kayser, Lars
Rawstorn, Jonathan C
Maddison, Ralph
author_facet Tighe, Sarah A
Ball, Kylie
Kensing, Finn
Kayser, Lars
Rawstorn, Jonathan C
Maddison, Ralph
author_sort Tighe, Sarah A
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundDigital interventions are effective for health behavior change, as they enable the self-management of chronic, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). However, they often fail to facilitate the specific or current needs and preferences of the individual. A proposed alternative is a digital platform that hosts a suite of discrete, already existing digital health interventions. A platform architecture would allow users to explore a range of evidence-based solutions over time to optimize their self-management and health behavior change. ObjectiveThis review aims to identify digital platform-like interventions and examine their potential for supporting self-management of NCDs and health behavior change. MethodsA literature search was conducted in January 2020 using EBSCOhost, PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE. No digital platforms were identified, so criteria were broadened to include digital platform-like interventions. Eligible platform-like interventions offered a suite of discrete, evidence-based health behavior change features to optimize self-management of NCDs in an adult population and provided digitally supported guidance for the user toward the features best suited to their needs and preferences. Data collected on interventions were guided by the CONSORT-EHEALTH (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials of Electronic and Mobile Health Applications and Online Telehealth) checklist, including evaluation data on effectiveness and process outcomes. The quality of the included literature was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. ResultsA total of 7 studies were included for review. Targeted NCDs included cardiovascular diseases (CVD; n=3), diabetes (n=3), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n=1). The mean adherence (based on the number of follow-up responders) was 69% (SD 20%). Of the 7 studies, 4 with the highest adherence rates (80%) were also guided by behavior change theories and took an iterative, user-centered approach to development, optimizing intervention relevance. All 7 interventions presented algorithm-supported user guidance tools, including electronic decision support, smart features that interact with patterns of use, and behavior change stage-matching tools. Of the 7 studies, 6 assessed changes in behavior. Significant effects in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were reported, but for no other specific health behaviors. However, positive behavior change was observed in studies that focused on comprehensive behavior change measures, such as self-care and self-management, each of which addresses several key lifestyle risk factors (eg, medication adherence). No significant difference was found for psychosocial outcomes (eg, quality of life). Significant changes in clinical outcomes were predominately related to disease-specific, multifaceted measures such as clinical disease control and cardiovascular risk score. ConclusionsIterative, user-centered development of digital platform structures could optimize user engagement with self-management support through existing, evidence-based digital interventions. Offering a palette of interventions with an appropriate degree of guidance has the potential to facilitate disease-specific health behavior change and effective self-management among a myriad of users, conditions, or stages of care.
first_indexed 2024-12-23T14:26:48Z
format Article
id doaj.art-3233e1400e3f41da8eddcae21bf3b1ec
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1438-8871
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-23T14:26:48Z
publishDate 2020-10-01
publisher JMIR Publications
record_format Article
series Journal of Medical Internet Research
spelling doaj.art-3233e1400e3f41da8eddcae21bf3b1ec2022-12-21T17:43:39ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Medical Internet Research1438-88712020-10-012210e1677410.2196/16774Toward a Digital Platform for the Self-Management of Noncommunicable Disease: Systematic Review of Platform-Like InterventionsTighe, Sarah ABall, KylieKensing, FinnKayser, LarsRawstorn, Jonathan CMaddison, RalphBackgroundDigital interventions are effective for health behavior change, as they enable the self-management of chronic, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). However, they often fail to facilitate the specific or current needs and preferences of the individual. A proposed alternative is a digital platform that hosts a suite of discrete, already existing digital health interventions. A platform architecture would allow users to explore a range of evidence-based solutions over time to optimize their self-management and health behavior change. ObjectiveThis review aims to identify digital platform-like interventions and examine their potential for supporting self-management of NCDs and health behavior change. MethodsA literature search was conducted in January 2020 using EBSCOhost, PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE. No digital platforms were identified, so criteria were broadened to include digital platform-like interventions. Eligible platform-like interventions offered a suite of discrete, evidence-based health behavior change features to optimize self-management of NCDs in an adult population and provided digitally supported guidance for the user toward the features best suited to their needs and preferences. Data collected on interventions were guided by the CONSORT-EHEALTH (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials of Electronic and Mobile Health Applications and Online Telehealth) checklist, including evaluation data on effectiveness and process outcomes. The quality of the included literature was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. ResultsA total of 7 studies were included for review. Targeted NCDs included cardiovascular diseases (CVD; n=3), diabetes (n=3), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n=1). The mean adherence (based on the number of follow-up responders) was 69% (SD 20%). Of the 7 studies, 4 with the highest adherence rates (80%) were also guided by behavior change theories and took an iterative, user-centered approach to development, optimizing intervention relevance. All 7 interventions presented algorithm-supported user guidance tools, including electronic decision support, smart features that interact with patterns of use, and behavior change stage-matching tools. Of the 7 studies, 6 assessed changes in behavior. Significant effects in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were reported, but for no other specific health behaviors. However, positive behavior change was observed in studies that focused on comprehensive behavior change measures, such as self-care and self-management, each of which addresses several key lifestyle risk factors (eg, medication adherence). No significant difference was found for psychosocial outcomes (eg, quality of life). Significant changes in clinical outcomes were predominately related to disease-specific, multifaceted measures such as clinical disease control and cardiovascular risk score. ConclusionsIterative, user-centered development of digital platform structures could optimize user engagement with self-management support through existing, evidence-based digital interventions. Offering a palette of interventions with an appropriate degree of guidance has the potential to facilitate disease-specific health behavior change and effective self-management among a myriad of users, conditions, or stages of care.http://www.jmir.org/2020/10/e16774/
spellingShingle Tighe, Sarah A
Ball, Kylie
Kensing, Finn
Kayser, Lars
Rawstorn, Jonathan C
Maddison, Ralph
Toward a Digital Platform for the Self-Management of Noncommunicable Disease: Systematic Review of Platform-Like Interventions
Journal of Medical Internet Research
title Toward a Digital Platform for the Self-Management of Noncommunicable Disease: Systematic Review of Platform-Like Interventions
title_full Toward a Digital Platform for the Self-Management of Noncommunicable Disease: Systematic Review of Platform-Like Interventions
title_fullStr Toward a Digital Platform for the Self-Management of Noncommunicable Disease: Systematic Review of Platform-Like Interventions
title_full_unstemmed Toward a Digital Platform for the Self-Management of Noncommunicable Disease: Systematic Review of Platform-Like Interventions
title_short Toward a Digital Platform for the Self-Management of Noncommunicable Disease: Systematic Review of Platform-Like Interventions
title_sort toward a digital platform for the self management of noncommunicable disease systematic review of platform like interventions
url http://www.jmir.org/2020/10/e16774/
work_keys_str_mv AT tighesaraha towardadigitalplatformfortheselfmanagementofnoncommunicablediseasesystematicreviewofplatformlikeinterventions
AT ballkylie towardadigitalplatformfortheselfmanagementofnoncommunicablediseasesystematicreviewofplatformlikeinterventions
AT kensingfinn towardadigitalplatformfortheselfmanagementofnoncommunicablediseasesystematicreviewofplatformlikeinterventions
AT kayserlars towardadigitalplatformfortheselfmanagementofnoncommunicablediseasesystematicreviewofplatformlikeinterventions
AT rawstornjonathanc towardadigitalplatformfortheselfmanagementofnoncommunicablediseasesystematicreviewofplatformlikeinterventions
AT maddisonralph towardadigitalplatformfortheselfmanagementofnoncommunicablediseasesystematicreviewofplatformlikeinterventions