A Systematic Review of the Scope of Study of mHealth Interventions for Wellness and Related Challenges in Pediatric and Young Adult Populations

Bond, Sarah J; Parikh, Nathan; Majmudar, Shrey; Pin, Sabrina; Wang, Christine; Willis, Lauren; Haga, Susanne B.

doi:10.2147/ahmt.s342811

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 87 publications

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“…Interventions to promote health behavior are increasingly delivered by mobile devices [ 20 ]. So-called ‘mobile health’ or ‘ mHealth’ is especially suitable for adolescents considering the integration of smartphones in their daily life [ 21 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A mobile healthy lifestyle intervention to promote mental health in adolescence: a mixed-methods evaluation

Peuters,

Maenhout,

Cardon

et al. 2024

BMC Public Health

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Background A healthy lifestyle may improve mental health. It is yet not known whether and how a mobile intervention can be of help in achieving this in adolescents. This study investigated the effectiveness and perceived underlying mechanisms of the mobile health (mHealth) intervention #LIFEGOALS to promote healthy lifestyles and mental health. #LIFEGOALS is an evidence-based app with activity tracker, including self-regulation techniques, gamification elements, a support chatbot, and health narrative videos. Methods A quasi-randomized controlled trial (N = 279) with 12-week intervention period and process evaluation interviews (n = 13) took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adolescents (12-15y) from the general population were allocated at school-level to the intervention (n = 184) or to a no-intervention group (n = 95). Health-related quality of life (HRQoL), psychological well-being, mood, self-perception, peer support, resilience, depressed feelings, sleep quality and breakfast frequency were assessed via a web-based survey; physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep routine via Axivity accelerometers. Multilevel generalized linear models were fitted to investigate intervention effects and moderation by pandemic-related measures. Interviews were coded using thematic analysis. Results Non-usage attrition was high: 18% of the participants in the intervention group never used the app. An additional 30% stopped usage by the second week. Beneficial intervention effects were found for physical activity (χ21 = 4.36, P = .04), sedentary behavior (χ21 = 6.44, P = .01), sleep quality (χ21 = 6.11, P = .01), and mood (χ21 = 2.30, P = .02). However, effects on activity-related behavior were only present for adolescents having normal sports access, and effects on mood only for adolescents with full in-school education. HRQoL (χ22 = 14.72, P < .001), mood (χ21 = 6.03, P = .01), and peer support (χ21 = 13.69, P < .001) worsened in adolescents with pandemic-induced remote-education. Interviewees reported that the reward system, self-regulation guidance, and increased health awareness had contributed to their behavior change. They also pointed to the importance of social factors, quality of technology and autonomy for mHealth effectiveness. Conclusions #LIFEGOALS showed mixed results on health behaviors and mental health. The findings highlight the role of contextual factors for mHealth promotion in adolescence, and provide suggestions to optimize support by a chatbot and narrative episodes. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov [NCT04719858], registered on 22/01/2021.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A mobile healthy lifestyle intervention to promote mental health in adolescence: a mixed-methods evaluation

Peuters,

Maenhout,

Cardon

et al. 2024

BMC Public Health

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“…Adolescents use their smartphones for, among other things, health-related purposes such as seeking online health information and using mobile apps to track their health [ 3 , 4 ]. Most studies on adolescents’ use of mobile health (mHealth) apps have evaluated the apps’ efficacy for disease management [ 5 ] and for improving health outcomes [ 6 ] such as physical activity [ 7 , 8 ], dietary behaviors [ 7 ], weight management [ 9 ], and sexual and reproductive health [ 10 ]. These mHealth apps were developed by researchers independently or in collaboration with app developers to guide the apps’ design and content.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual and Parental Factors of Adolescents’ mHealth App Use: Nationally Representative Cross-sectional Study

Güleç

Ŝmahel

2022

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

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Background Knowledge of the characteristics of adolescents who use mobile health (mHealth) apps to monitor health and how these characteristics differ from those of app nonusers is limited. Objective We aimed to determine mHealth app use based on adolescent and parental factors, including sociodemographics, digital skills, and health indicators, in a nationally representative sample of Czech adolescents (N=2500). Methods Adolescents aged 11 to 16 years and one of their parents participated in an online survey in 2021. A professional research agency recruited the participants. Quotas were used to ensure the sample’s representativeness. The sociodemographic factors were the adolescents’ age, gender, and parental perceived financial security. The adolescents also provided information about their screen time, eHealth literacy, BMI, health anxiety, physical activity, and sleep quality. Parents reported their digital skills, mobile phone attitudes, and the mediation of their children’s online health information–seeking behaviors. We evaluated the differences between the users and nonusers of mHealth apps and identified the significant predictors of mHealth app use. Next, we separately examined how these factors were associated with the use of mHealth apps that track calorie intake or expenditure, number of steps, weight, or sports activity (eg, exercise, running, and working out), as well as other mHealth apps (eg, those that track sleep and heart rate). Results More than half of the adolescents (1429/2455, 58.21%) reported using mHealth apps. App users were relatively older and, more often, girls. Apps that counted the number of steps were used most frequently, and adolescents whose parents reported higher perceived financial security used them more regularly. Overall, being older and physically active and having higher eHealth literacy skills were associated with using mHealth apps. Adolescents with higher BMI, health anxiety, and lower sleep quality more frequently used mHealth apps to track calorie intake or expenditure, weight, and health indicators. mHealth apps to track physical activity were used more regularly by girls. There was a positive association between parental mediation of online health information–seeking behaviors and adolescents’ mHealth app use. Conclusions These findings demonstrated that older age, physical activity, and eHealth literacy skills were the common underlying factors of adolescents’ mHealth app use. We initially showed parents as significant role models for their children’s adoption of, and engagement with, mHealth apps when they actively mediate their online health information–seeking behaviors. Improving the eHealth literacy skills of adolescents through parental guidance might enhance health technology use in this population. Tracking eating behaviors, weight, and health were more prevalent for adolescents who reported higher BMI, health anxiety, and lower sleep quality. Future research studies should examine the determinants and health outcomes of adolescents’ mHealth app use longitudinally.

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“…In a pilot primary prevention study, participants in an MBI were more likely to reach and maintain recommended PA levels than et al, 2021). Another RCT evaluating a digitally supported MBI for older adults reported significantly more engagement in aerobic PA, as well as higher intrinsic motivation, in MBI group relative to control (Robin et al, 2019)highlighting the potential for scalability and accessibility enabled by mHealth interventions (Mrazek et al, 2019;Bond et al, 2022) as well as the need to ensure they are as engaging and effective as possible (Yardley et al, 2015). The combination also shows promise for mood and mental health outcomes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exercising body but not mind: A qualitative exploration of attitudes to combining physical activity and mindfulness practice for mental health promotion

et al. 2022

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BackgroundPhysical activity and mindfulness meditation can be effective for maintaining good mental wellbeing, with early-stage research suggesting even greater effectiveness in tandem. Literature is lacking on the perceptions and acceptability of these practices, particularly in a preventative context. The study aimed to explore attitudes toward mental health and its maintenance through physical activity and mindfulness meditation in the university student population.MethodsSemi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of 16 students from 10 United Kingdom universities (Mage = 23 years, SD = 3.22) recruited through social media and stratified to have varied wellbeing symptoms, physical activity levels, and experience with mindfulness meditation. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to elicit meaning from the data.ResultsFour main themes were constructed. Participants held a “Dualist view of health,” in which mental and physical aspects were seen as distinct but connected, and prioritized physical health maintenance. The “Low-point paradox,” where engagement is most difficult during the time of greatest need, was identified as a crucial psychological barrier across health behaviors. “Unfamiliarity with mindfulness practice” was common, as were misconceptions inhibiting practice. Finally, participants were intrigued by combining physical activity and mindfulness, supposing that “Whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” with mutual reinforcement of the two techniques cited as biggest motivating factor.ConclusionEffective preventative mental health strategies for adults, including university students, should accommodate for common psychological barriers and facilitators to health maintenance behaviors, including misconceptions surrounding mindfulness, to increase acceptability. Combining physical activity and mindfulness meditation is one promising preventative approach that warrants further investigation.

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A Systematic Review of the Scope of Study of mHealth Interventions for Wellness and Related Challenges in Pediatric and Young Adult Populations

Cited by 8 publications

References 87 publications

A mobile healthy lifestyle intervention to promote mental health in adolescence: a mixed-methods evaluation

A mobile healthy lifestyle intervention to promote mental health in adolescence: a mixed-methods evaluation

Individual and Parental Factors of Adolescents’ mHealth App Use: Nationally Representative Cross-sectional Study

Exercising body but not mind: A qualitative exploration of attitudes to combining physical activity and mindfulness practice for mental health promotion

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