Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34061036›Full record

ArticleJMIR mHealth and uHealth2021

Factors That Influence the Use of Electronic Diaries in Health Care: Scoping Review.

Naomi E M Daniëls, Laura M J Hochstenbach, Catherine van Zelst, Marloes A van Bokhoven, Philippe A E G Delespaul, Anna J H M Beurskens

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Observational
  4. Early Detection of Lower Adherence to Long-Term e-Diary Recording: A Checkpoint to Target Early Educational Intervention in Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis?Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology · 2026
    Observational
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Naomi E M DaniëlsDepartment of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-8336-7737
Laura M J HochstenbachResearch Centre for Remote Health Care, Faculty of Health Care, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Heerlen, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-2854-1055
Catherine van ZelstDepartment of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-9371-8529
Marloes A van BokhovenDepartment of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-4110-0978
Philippe A E G DelespaulDepartment of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-7420-0898
Anna J H M BeurskensDepartment of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-8914-7150

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundA large number of people suffer from psychosocial or physical problems. Adequate strategies to alleviate needs are scarce or lacking. Symptom variation can offer insights into personal profiles of coping and resilience (detailed functional analyses). Hence, diaries are used to report mood and behavior occurring in daily life. To reduce inaccuracies, biases, and noncompliance with paper diaries, a shift to electronic diaries has occurred. Although these diaries are increasingly used in health care, information is lacking about what determines their use.

objectiveThe aim of this study was to map the existing empirical knowledge and gaps concerning factors that influence the use of electronic diaries, defined as repeated recording of psychosocial or physical data lasting at least one week using a smartphone or a computer, in health care.

methodsA scoping review of the literature published between January 2000 and December 2018 was conducted using queries in PubMed and PsycInfo databases. English or Dutch publications based on empirical data about factors that influence the use of electronic diaries for psychosocial or physical purposes in health care were included. Both databases were screened, and findings were summarized using a directed content analysis organized by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).

resultsOut of 3170 articles, 22 studies were selected for qualitative synthesis. Eleven themes were determined in the CFIR categories of intervention, user characteristics, and process. No information was found for the CFIR categories inner (eg, organizational resources, innovation climate) and outer (eg, external policies and incentives, pressure from competitors) settings. Reminders, attractive designs, tailored and clear data visualizations (intervention), smartphone experience, and intrinsic motivation to change behavior (user characteristics) could influence the use of electronic diaries. During the implementation process, attention should be paid to both theoretical and practical training.

conclusionsDesign aspects, user characteristics, and training and instructions determine the use of electronic diaries in health care. It is remarkable that there were no empirical data about factors related to embedding electronic diaries in daily clinical practice. More research is needed to better understand influencing factors for optimal electronic diary use.

Indexed as

Delivery of Health CareMotivationElectronicsHealth FacilitiesHumanscompliancedelivery of health carediaryecological momentary assessmentintentionmotivationscoping review

Identifiers

PMID34061036
PMCPMC8207255

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.