A study to estimate the effects of a novel mHealth intervention that targets multiple lifestyle behaviors (alcohol, diet, physical activity, and smoking) among high school students in Sweden

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrika Müssener
2006 ◽  
Vol 38 (Supplement) ◽  
pp. S470
Author(s):  
Jeremy L. Knous ◽  
Joshua J. Ode ◽  
Patricia W. Bauer ◽  
James M. Pivarnik

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrika Müssener ◽  
Kristin Thomas ◽  
Catharina Linderoth ◽  
Marie Löf ◽  
Katarina Åsberg ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Mobile electronic platforms provide exciting possibilities for health behavior promotion. For instance, they can promote smoking cessation, moderate alcohol consumption, healthy eating, and physical activity. Young adults in Sweden are proficient in the use of technology, having been exposed to computers, smartphones, and the internet from an early age. However, with the high availability of mobile health (mHealth) interventions of varying quality, it is critical to optimize the usability of mHealth interventions to ensure long-term use of these health promotion interventions. OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the usability of an mHealth intervention (LIFE4YOUth) targeting health behaviors among high school students through heuristic evaluation and usability testing. METHODS A preliminary version of the LIFE4YOUth mHealth intervention, which was aimed at promoting healthy eating, physical activity, smoking cessation, and nonrisky drinking among high school students, was developed in early 2019. We completed a total of 15 heuristic evaluations and 5 usability tests to evaluate the usability of the mHealth intervention prototype to improve its functioning, content, and design. RESULTS Heuristic evaluation from a total of 15 experts (10 employees and 5 university students, both women and men, aged 18-25 years) revealed that the major usability problems and the worst ratings, a total of 17 problems termed <i>usability catastrophes</i>, concerned shortcomings in displaying easy-to-understand information to the users or technical errors. The results of the usability testing including 5 high school students (both girls and boys, aged 15-18 years) showed that the design, quality, and quantity of content in the intervention may impact the users’ level of engagement. Poor functionality was considered a major barrier to usability. Of the 5 participants, one rated the LIFE4YOUth intervention as poor, 2 rated as average, and 2 assessed it as good, according to the System Usability Scale. CONCLUSIONS High school students have high expectations of digital products. If an mHealth intervention does not offer optimal functions, they may cease to use it. Optimizing the usability of mHealth interventions is a critical step in the development process. Heuristic evaluation and usability testing in this study provided valuable knowledge about the prototype from a user’s perspective. The findings may lead to the development of similar interventions targeting the high school population.


10.2196/17999 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. e17999
Author(s):  
Ulrika Müssener ◽  
Kristin Thomas ◽  
Catharina Linderoth ◽  
Marie Löf ◽  
Katarina Åsberg ◽  
...  

Background Mobile electronic platforms provide exciting possibilities for health behavior promotion. For instance, they can promote smoking cessation, moderate alcohol consumption, healthy eating, and physical activity. Young adults in Sweden are proficient in the use of technology, having been exposed to computers, smartphones, and the internet from an early age. However, with the high availability of mobile health (mHealth) interventions of varying quality, it is critical to optimize the usability of mHealth interventions to ensure long-term use of these health promotion interventions. Objective This study aims to investigate the usability of an mHealth intervention (LIFE4YOUth) targeting health behaviors among high school students through heuristic evaluation and usability testing. Methods A preliminary version of the LIFE4YOUth mHealth intervention, which was aimed at promoting healthy eating, physical activity, smoking cessation, and nonrisky drinking among high school students, was developed in early 2019. We completed a total of 15 heuristic evaluations and 5 usability tests to evaluate the usability of the mHealth intervention prototype to improve its functioning, content, and design. Results Heuristic evaluation from a total of 15 experts (10 employees and 5 university students, both women and men, aged 18-25 years) revealed that the major usability problems and the worst ratings, a total of 17 problems termed usability catastrophes, concerned shortcomings in displaying easy-to-understand information to the users or technical errors. The results of the usability testing including 5 high school students (both girls and boys, aged 15-18 years) showed that the design, quality, and quantity of content in the intervention may impact the users’ level of engagement. Poor functionality was considered a major barrier to usability. Of the 5 participants, one rated the LIFE4YOUth intervention as poor, 2 rated as average, and 2 assessed it as good, according to the System Usability Scale. Conclusions High school students have high expectations of digital products. If an mHealth intervention does not offer optimal functions, they may cease to use it. Optimizing the usability of mHealth interventions is a critical step in the development process. Heuristic evaluation and usability testing in this study provided valuable knowledge about the prototype from a user’s perspective. The findings may lead to the development of similar interventions targeting the high school population.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus Bendtsen ◽  
Anna Seiterö ◽  
Preben Bendtsen ◽  
Hanna Henriksson ◽  
Pontus Henriksson ◽  
...  

Abstract Background National surveys in Sweden demonstrate that the majority of young people do not engage in health promoting behaviours at levels recommended by the Public Health Agency of Sweden. The objective of this study is to estimate the effectiveness of a novel mHealth intervention named LIFE4YOUth, which targets multiple lifestyle behaviours (alcohol, diet, physical activity, and smoking) among high school students in Sweden. Methods A 2-arm parallel groups single blind randomised controlled trial (1:1) will be employed to estimate the effectiveness of the novel mHealth intervention. Students will be recruited at high schools throughout Sweden, and will be included if they fulfil one of six criteria relating to unhealthy behaviours with respect to alcohol, diet, physical activity and smoking. Eligible participants will be randomised to either receive the novel intervention immediately, or to be placed on a waiting list for 4 months. The intervention consists of a combination of recurring screening, text messages, and an interactive platform which is adaptable to individual preferences. Outcome measures with respect to alcohol, diet, physical activity and smoking will be assessed through questionnaires at 2 and 4 months post randomisation. Discussion The findings of this trial could be generalised to a diverse high-school student population as our recruitment encompass a large proportion of schools throughout Sweden with various educational profiles. Furthermore, if effective, the mHealth intervention has good potential to be able to be scaled up and disseminated at high schools nationally. Trial registration Registered prospectively on 2020-05-20 in ISRCTN (ISRCTN34468623).


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme da Silva Gasparotto ◽  
Aline Bichels ◽  
Thaynara do Prado Szeremeta ◽  
Gislaine Cristina Vagetti ◽  
Valdomiro de Oliveira

The objective of this study was to verify the association of psychological factors and body practices with the academic performance of high school students. A sample of 330 students participated, made up of 167 girls and 163 boys. Likert scale instruments were used for collecting information on self-concept, and on general and academic self-efficacy. Time spent on moderate to vigorous physical activity was recorded, and so was participation in several types of body practices, such as sports, dances, martial arts, performing arts, and systematic physical exercises. Academic achievement was referred to from the students' grades on regular subjects. Linear regression analysis was used for verifying the association of independent variables with academic performance. The adjusted regression model explains between 7% and 36% of academic performance variance, whereas Self-Concept explains academic performance on six of the twelve subjects, and the mean of the grades, with Beta values between 0.13 (p = 0.02) for Sociology and 0.28 (p <0.01) for Mathematics. Academic self-efficacy explained performance on eleven subjects and the mean of the grades, with Beta values between 0.21 (p <0.01) for Physical Education and Philosophy, and 0.44 (p <0.01) for Biology. Participation in extracurricular activities involving body practices explained academic performance on six subjects and the mean of the grades, with Beta values between 0.14 (p = 0.02) for Sociology and 0.31 (p <0.01) for Arts. The studied psychological variables and participation in projects concerning body practices during extracurricular activities correlated with academic achievement as to several school subjects, and with the mean of the grades.


2006 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 268-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
REIZO BABA ◽  
NOBUKO IWAO ◽  
MASAAKI KOKETSU ◽  
MASAMI NAGASHIMA ◽  
HIROSHI INASAKA

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baratali Rezapour ◽  
Firoozeh Mostafavi ◽  
Hamid Reza Khalkhali

<p><strong>OBJECTIVES:</strong> Students attend sedentary life style and less like vigorous physical activity. This study investigated the effects of School-based intervention<strong> </strong>on increasing physical activity for decreasing obesity among high-school obese and overweight boys, based on the components of PRECEDE PROCEED Model, to participate in median - vigorous physical activity among the first Period of high school boys in the city of Urmia, Iran</p><p><strong>METHODS:</strong> This study was an experimental intervention that conducted at 4 high schools that were divided into 2 groups of intervention (40) and the control (40) male students, schools in junior high schools in Urmia.</p><p><strong>RESULTS:</strong> Three and six months after the intervention, significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups of schools, in the amount of students’ participation in vigorous physical activity (p&lt;0.01).</p><p><strong>CONCLUSIONS:</strong> According to the results, the school-based intervention and components of PRECEDE PROCEED Model had a positive impact on the improvement of physical activity and decrease in physical inactivity among the students.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Dubuc ◽  
Seira Fortin-Suzuki ◽  
Sylvie Beaudoin ◽  
Felix Berrigan ◽  
Sylvain Turcotte

Objective: To contribute to the development of tailored school-based physical activity interventions, in this study, we aimed to identify the perceived facilitating factors and barriers of high school students toward their physical activity in the school environment. Methods: A total of 139 students from 4 different high schools completed an online questionnaire comprising open-ended questions on their perceived facilitating factors and barriers toward their physical activity at school. Thereafter, 100 of these students participated in one of the 16 focus groups designed to deepen students’ responses regarding their perceived facilitating factors and barriers. Qualitative content analysis was performed to classify data according to the Social-Ecological Model. Results: Through questionnaires, students mostly identified intrapersonal elements as facilitating factors and barriers to their practice of physical activity, as opposed to institutional factors during the focus groups. Girls strongly valued the characteristics of the interventions and of the involved school stakeholders. Conclusions: Our results allow us to qualify the current understanding of high school students’ perceived facilitating factors and barriers toward school-based physical activity and strengthen the relevance of surveying students prior to the development and implementation of physical activity interventions.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document