Mobile phone-based behavioural interventions for health: A systematic review

• Published in: Health education journal Vol. 72; no. 5; pp. 564 - 583
• Main Authors: Buhi, Eric R, Trudnak, Tara E, Martinasek, Mary P, Oberne, Alison B, Fuhrmann, Hollie J, McDermott, Robert J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.09.2013; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Behavior Change; Behavioural changes; Behavioural psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Cellular telephones; Computer Mediated Communication; Delivery Systems; Empirical research; Handheld Devices; Health; Health Behavior; Health education; Health Promotion; Internet; Intervention; Interventions; Literature Reviews; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Mobile phones; Multimedia; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Search Strategies; Social media; Surveillance; Telephone Instruction; Text messages; Text messaging; health promotion; short message service; systematic review; text messages; Health behaviour; Health education; Health; Behavior
• ISSN: 0017-8969; 1748-8176
• DOI: 10.1177/0017896912452071

Objective: To perform a systematic review of the literature concerning behavioural mobile health (mHealth) and summarize points related to heath topic, use of theory, audience, purpose, design, intervention components, and principal results that can inform future health education applications. Design: A systematic review of the literature. Method: Thirty-four interventions published in peer-reviewed journals before July 2010, employing a short message service (SMS) and/or multimedia message service to address health-related behavioural change, were reviewed. Results: Five interventions utilized SMS alone, 18 employed SMS/Internet, and 11 utilized SMS, Internet, and other strategies. Intervention length ranged from four weeks to one year. Twenty interventions (59%) were evaluated using experimental designs, and most resulted in statistically significant health behavioural changes. Conclusion: Surveillance of mHealth interventions’ role in facilitating behavioural change is a judicious parallel activity for health education and health behaviour authorities.