ArticleBMC public health2019
Using theory of change to develop an intervention theory for designing and evaluating behavior change SDApps for healthy eating and physical exercise: the OCAPREV theory.
Article in BMC public health, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Integration of evidence into Theory of Change frameworks in the healthcare sector: A rapid systematic review.PloS one · 2023Pooled it
- Theory-based evaluation of user participation in MedPrev, a digital preventive intervention in primary care in France.BMC primary care · 2026Article
- New perspectives from evidence to action - patient-centered evidence transformation in evidence-based nursing: a narrative review.Frontiers in public health · 2026Review
- Analyzing the usage of theories of change for routine immunization programs -- a review of impact evaluations from LMICs.Journal of health, population, and nutrition · 2024Review
- Conditions for adherence to videoconference-based programs promoting adapted physical activity in cancer patients: a realist evaluation.Implementation science : IS · 2024Article
- Improving Children's Mental Health Literacy Through the Cocreation of an Intervention and Scale Validation: Protocol for the CHILD-Mental Health Literacy Research Study.JMIR research protocols · 2023Article
- Impacts of digital technologies on education and factors influencing schools' digital capacity and transformation: A literature review.Education and information technologies · 2023Article
- Understanding the complexity of population health interventions: assessing intervention system theory (ISyT).Health research policy and systems · 2021Article
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and Atherosclerosis at a crossroad: The overlap of a theory of change and bioinformatics.World journal of gastrointestinal pathophysiology · 2020Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundConnected health devices and applications (referred to hereafter as "SDApps" - Smart devices and applications) are being portrayed as a new way for prevention, with the promise of accessibility, effectiveness and personalization. Many effectiveness evaluations (experimental designs) with strong internal validity exist. While effectiveness does appear to vary, the mechanisms used by these devices have not yet been thoroughly investigated. This article seeks to unpack this black box, and describes the process of elaboration of an intervention theory for healthy eating and physical activity SDApps. It includes a set of requirements relative to their impact on social health inequalities.
methodsTo build this theory, we drew on theory-driven approaches and in particular on the theory of change (ToC) method. To this end, we developed a cumulative and iterative process combining scientific data from the literature with knowledge from experts (researchers and practitioners) and from patients or users. It was a 3-step process, as follows: 1 - identifying the evidence base; 2 - developing the theory through design intervention and creating realistic expectations, including in our case specific work on social health inequalities (SHIs); 3 - modeling process and outcome.
resultsWe produced an evidence-based theory according to the ToC model, based on scientific evidence and knowledge from experts and users. It sets out a causal pathway leveraging 11 key mechanisms - theoretical domains - with which 50 behavior change techniques can be used towards 3 ultimate goals: Capacity, Opportunity, Motivation - Behavior (COM-B). Furthermore, the theory specifically integrates requirements relative to the impact on SHIs.
conclusionsThis theory is an aid to SDAapp design and evaluation and it can be used to consider the question of the possible impact of SDApps on the increase in inequalities. Firstly, it enables developers to adopt a more overarching and thorough approach to supporting behavior change, and secondly it encourages comprehensive and contributive evaluations of existing SDApps. Lastly, it allows health inequalities to be fully considered.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.