Behavioral Activation Mobile App to Motivate Smokers to Quit: Feasibility and Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Behavioral activation (BA) is an evidence-based treatment for depression that fosters engagement in values-based activities to increase access to positive reinforcement. Depressed mood has been shown to hinder smoking cessation.

Objective: This study determined the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a mobile app to motivate smokers to quit by using BA and integrating motivational messages to quit smoking.

The state of knowledge regarding delivering behavior change techniques via short text messages is already quite advanced: A response to "Can behavior change techniques be delivered via short text messages?".

Doğru et al. recent study reported developing text messages that attempted to capture each of 93 behavior change techniques (BCTs) in a standardized taxonomy. They found that a panel of experts identified the majority of the messages developed as having good fidelity to the intended BCTs.

Implementing a text message-based intervention to support type 2 diabetes medication adherence in primary care: a qualitative study with general practice staff.

Background: The Support through Mobile Messaging and digital health Technology for Diabetes (SuMMiT-D) project has developed, and is evaluating, a mobile phone-based intervention delivering brief messages targeting identified behaviour change techniques promoting medication use to people with type 2 diabetes in general practice. The present study aimed to inform refinement and future implementation of the SuMMiT-D intervention by investigating general practice staff perceptions of how a text message-based intervention to support medication adherence should be implemented within current and future diabetes care.

Methods: Seven focus groups and five interviews were conducted with 46 general practice staff (including GPs, nurses, healthcare assistants, receptionists and linked pharmacists) with a potential role in the implementation of a text message-based intervention for people with type 2 diabetes.

Codevelopment of a Text Messaging Intervention to Support Adherence to Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy in Women With Breast Cancer: Mixed Methods Approach.

Background: Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) reduces breast cancer recurrence and mortality in women with early-stage breast cancer. Unintentional nonadherence to AET is common (eg, forgetting to take medication). Forming habits surrounding medication taking could reduce reliance on memory and improve AET adherence.

Acceptability of reducing sedentariness using a mobile-phone application based on 'if then' plans for people with psychosis: A focus-group study conducted in North West England, UK.

Objective: To understand the acceptability of (a) reducing sedentary-behaviour in people with psychosis using 'if-then' plans and (b) the proposed app content.

Design: Qualitative acceptability study.

Method: Three structured focus-groups and an interview were conducted with eight participants who had experience of a psychotic episode.

Effects of Using a Text Message Intervention on Psychological Constructs and the Association Between Changes to Psychological Constructs and Medication Adherence in People With Type 2 Diabetes: Results From a Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study.

Background: Poor adherence to oral medications is common in people with type 2 diabetes and can lead to an increased chance of health complications. Text messages may provide an effective delivery method for an intervention; however, thus far, the majority of these interventions do not specify either a theoretical basis or propose specific mechanisms of action. This makes it hard to determine how and whether an intervention is having an effect.

Supporting People With Type 2 Diabetes in the Effective Use of Their Medicine Through Mobile Health Technology Integrated With Clinical Care to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk: Protocol for an Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Type 2 diabetes is a common lifelong condition that affects over 400 million people worldwide. The use of effective medications and active self-management can reduce the risk of serious complications. However, people often have concerns when starting new medications and face difficulties in taking their medications regularly.

Understanding acceptability in the context of text messages to encourage medication adherence in people with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Acceptability is recognised as a key concept in the development of health interventions, but there has been a lack of consensus about how acceptability should be conceptualised. The theoretical framework of acceptability (TFA) provides a potential tool for understanding acceptability. It has been proposed that acceptability measured before use of an intervention (anticipated acceptability) may differ from measures taken during and after use (experienced acceptability), but thus far this distinction has not been tested for a specific intervention.

The Use of a Smartphone App and an Activity Tracker to Promote Physical Activity in the Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is highly prevalent and significantly affects the daily functioning of patients. Self-management strategies, including increasing physical activity, can help people with COPD have better health and a better quality of life. Digital mobile health (mHealth) techniques have the potential to aid the delivery of self-management interventions for COPD.

Use of Brief Messages Based on Behavior Change Techniques to Encourage Medication Adherence in People With Type 2 Diabetes: Developmental Studies.

Background: Brief messages are a promising way to improve adherence to medication for people with type 2 diabetes. However, it is often unclear how messages have been developed and their precise content, making it difficult to ascertain why certain messages are successful and some are not.

Objective: The goal of the research was to develop messages that have proven fidelity to specified evidence-derived behavior change techniques (BCTs) and are acceptable to people with type 2 diabetes.

What do people with type 2 diabetes want from a brief messaging system to support medication adherence?

Background: Many people with type 2 diabetes do not take their treatment as prescribed. Brief messages to support medication use could reach large numbers of people at a very low cost per person, but current interventions using brief messages rarely adequately describe the content of the messages, nor base these messages on explicit behavior change principles. This study reports the views of people with type 2 diabetes concerning the acceptability of 1) a messaging system and 2) proposed messages based on behavior change techniques (BCTs) and beliefs and concerns around taking medication.

Identifying Brief Message Content for Interventions Delivered via Mobile Devices to Improve Medication Adherence in People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Rapid Systematic Review.

Background: Current interventions to support medication adherence in people with type 2 diabetes are generally resource-intensive and ineffective. Brief messages, such as those delivered via short message service (SMS) systems, are increasingly used in digital health interventions to support adherence because they can be delivered on a wide scale and at low cost. The content of SMS text messages is a crucial intervention feature for promoting behavior change, but it is often unclear what the rationale is for chosen wording or any underlying mechanisms targeted for behavioral change.

Parental Depression is Prospectively Associated With Lower Smoking Cessation Rates and Poor Child Asthma Outcomes.

Background: Depressive symptoms are elevated in parents of asthmatic children compared with parents of healthy children. The role of depression in smoking cessation and pediatric asthma outcomes in this population is unclear.

Purpose: To prospectively examine the effect of parent depression on smoking cessation and child asthma outcomes.

Identification of three different types of smokers who are not motivated to quit: Results from a latent class analysis.

Objective: The majority of smokers are not motivated to quit within 30 days. We examined whether these smokers are a homogeneous group, hypothesizing that subtypes of unmotivated smokers could be identified.

Method: Included were 500 smokers not ready to quit within 30 days who completed an online survey assessing variables known to be associated with quitting.

Using Persuasive Technology to Increase Physical Activity in People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Encouraging Regular Walking: A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring Opinions and Preferences.

Background: People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (PwCOPD) often experience breathlessness and fatigue, making physical activity challenging. Although many persuasive technologies (such as mobile phone apps) have been designed to support physical activity among members of the general population, current technologies aimed at PwCOPD are underdeveloped and only use a limited range of persuasive technology design principles.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore how acceptable different persuasive technology design principles were considered to be in supporting and encouraging physical activity among PwCOPD.

Defining chronic cancer: patient experiences and self-management needs.

Objective: Chronic cancer is poorly defined and strategies for supporting patients during this disease phase are lacking. This research defines chronic cancer, explores patient experiences and reviews patients' support needs against those described in the 2007 Department of Health Generic Choice Model for Long-term Conditions (DoH-GCM).

Design: Semistructured interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and data explored for emergent themes.

Prevalence and Frequency of mHealth and eHealth Use Among US and UK Smokers and Differences by Motivation to Quit.

Background: Both mHealth and eHealth interventions for smoking cessation are rapidly being developed and tested. There are no data on use of mHealth and eHealth technologies by smokers in general or by smokers who are not motivated to quit smoking.

Objective: The aims of our study were to (1) assess technology use (eg, texting, social media, Internet) among smokers in the United States and United Kingdom, (2) examine whether technology use differs between smokers who are motivated to quit and smokers who are not motivated to quit, (3) examine previous use of technology to assist with smoking cessation, and (4) examine future intentions to use technology to assist with smoking cessation.

"It's my business, it's my body, it's my money": experiences of smokers who are not planning to quit in the next 30 days and their views about treatment options.

Background: Current evidence-based smoking cessation treatments in the UK are only offered to smokers ready to quit within 30 days. This study reports the experiences of smokers who are not ready to quit and explores the types of intervention approaches that might engage them.

Methods: Five focus groups were conducted with smokers who had no plans to quit within 30 days (n = 32, 44 % female).

The SMART personalised self-management system for congestive heart failure: results of a realist evaluation.

Background: Technology has the potential to provide support for self-management to people with congestive heart failure (CHF). This paper describes the results of a realist evaluation of the SMART Personalised Self-Management System (PSMS) for CHF.

Methods: The PSMS was used, at home, by seven people with CHF.

Effective behaviour change techniques in smoking cessation interventions for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the behaviour change techniques (BCTs) that are associated with greater effectiveness in smoking cessation interventions for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. Web of Knowledge, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and MEDLINE were searched from the earliest date available to December 2012.

Defining chronic cancer: patient experiences and self-management needs.

Objective: Chronic cancer is poorly defined and strategies for supporting patients during this disease phase are lacking. This research defines chronic cancer, explores patient experiences and reviews patients' support needs against those described in the 2007 Department of Health Generic Choice Model for Long-term Conditions (DoH-GCM).

Design: Semistructured interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and data explored for emergent themes.

Developing a useful, user-friendly website for cancer patient follow-up: users' perspectives on ease of access and usefulness.

UK cancer survival has improved, leading to an increase in review patients and pressure on clinics. Use of the Internet for information exchange between patients and healthcare staff may provide a useful adjunct or alternative to traditional follow-up. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a website for use in follow-up cancer care in terms of usability, feasibility and acceptability.

An investigation into the empowerment effects of using online support groups and how this affects health professional/patient communication.

Objective: The current research investigates the potential of online support groups (OSGs) to foster empowerment and how membership might affect the patient/health professional relationship.

Methods: 246 participants across 33 OSGs completed an online questionnaire.

Results: All empowerment processes and outcomes identified by van Uden-Kraan et al.