Emergence of tablet computers has led to interest in their use to impact health-related behaviors of users. However, little is known regarding which devices are most effective for changing these behaviors, and whether...Emergence of tablet computers has led to interest in their use to impact health-related behaviors of users. However, little is known regarding which devices are most effective for changing these behaviors, and whether or not these devices or accompanying applications (apps) are feasible or desired vehicles for behavior change. Four focus groups were conducted with students from a Western university who were given iPads to download diet-related apps. Participants were asked questions about preferences regarding iPad functionality, app functionality, and the likelihood of using apps and iPads for facilitating diet-related behavior change in the future. Two key themes emerged from focus group discussions on diet-related apps for iPads and their usefulness to facilitate behavior change. The first theme, lack of iPad practicality, contained three subthemes: inconvenient mid-way technology, internet access barriers, and smart-phone preference. The second theme that emerged was attitudes towards apps in general. Three subthemes were identified under the second theme: too intensive;positive functions not specific to iPads;and lack of reliable/trustworthy information. This paper is the first, to this author’s knowledge, to report the use of qualitative methods to study the practicality of using apps and iPads in changing dietrelated behaviors. Early generations of iPads may not be effective devices for facilitating behavior change among college students;and diet-related apps seem to have poor functionality that lead to cessation of use.展开更多
Objective: To identify the extent to which YouTube.com videos targeting prescription drug abuse include health behavior theory in their content and design. Methods: This study used a content analysis of 209 YouTube.co...Objective: To identify the extent to which YouTube.com videos targeting prescription drug abuse include health behavior theory in their content and design. Methods: This study used a content analysis of 209 YouTube.com videos. Coders used an established theory-based instrument to rate each video’s inclusion of theoretical constructs from four prominent health behavior theories. Each YouTube.com video was coded for twenty-two theoretical items, which were summed to create a total theory score. Results: The mean theory score of videos was 3.26 out of a possible 22. Among the top 10% of videos with highest theory scores, social cognitive theory constructs were coded most often and transtheoretical constructs were coded least often. Conclusion: It is not unexpected that YouTube.com videos are largely void of theoretical content since these videos are made by a variety of organizations and sources that may not be trained in the application of health behavior theories. There is an opportunity for the organizations that create these videos to collaborate with health and behavior change experts in creating videos with more theoretical constructs, possibly resulting in better health outcomes.展开更多
文摘Emergence of tablet computers has led to interest in their use to impact health-related behaviors of users. However, little is known regarding which devices are most effective for changing these behaviors, and whether or not these devices or accompanying applications (apps) are feasible or desired vehicles for behavior change. Four focus groups were conducted with students from a Western university who were given iPads to download diet-related apps. Participants were asked questions about preferences regarding iPad functionality, app functionality, and the likelihood of using apps and iPads for facilitating diet-related behavior change in the future. Two key themes emerged from focus group discussions on diet-related apps for iPads and their usefulness to facilitate behavior change. The first theme, lack of iPad practicality, contained three subthemes: inconvenient mid-way technology, internet access barriers, and smart-phone preference. The second theme that emerged was attitudes towards apps in general. Three subthemes were identified under the second theme: too intensive;positive functions not specific to iPads;and lack of reliable/trustworthy information. This paper is the first, to this author’s knowledge, to report the use of qualitative methods to study the practicality of using apps and iPads in changing dietrelated behaviors. Early generations of iPads may not be effective devices for facilitating behavior change among college students;and diet-related apps seem to have poor functionality that lead to cessation of use.
文摘Objective: To identify the extent to which YouTube.com videos targeting prescription drug abuse include health behavior theory in their content and design. Methods: This study used a content analysis of 209 YouTube.com videos. Coders used an established theory-based instrument to rate each video’s inclusion of theoretical constructs from four prominent health behavior theories. Each YouTube.com video was coded for twenty-two theoretical items, which were summed to create a total theory score. Results: The mean theory score of videos was 3.26 out of a possible 22. Among the top 10% of videos with highest theory scores, social cognitive theory constructs were coded most often and transtheoretical constructs were coded least often. Conclusion: It is not unexpected that YouTube.com videos are largely void of theoretical content since these videos are made by a variety of organizations and sources that may not be trained in the application of health behavior theories. There is an opportunity for the organizations that create these videos to collaborate with health and behavior change experts in creating videos with more theoretical constructs, possibly resulting in better health outcomes.
