Abstract
BackgroundSedentary behavior (SB) is associated with various adverse health outcomes. The prevalence of prolonged sitting at work among office workers makes a case for SB interventions to target this setting and population. Everyday mundane objects with embedded microelectronics and ubiquitous computing represent a novel mode of delivering health behavior change interventions enabled by internet of things (IoTs). However, little is known about how to develop interventions involving IoT technologies.ObjectiveThis paper reports the design and development of an IoT-enabled SB intervention targeting office workers.MethodsThe process was guided by the behavior change wheel (BCW), a systematic framework for theory-informed and evidence-based development of behavior change interventions, complemented by the human-centered design (HCD) approach. Intervention design was shaped by findings from a diary-probed interview study (n=20), a stakeholder design workshop (n=8), and a series of theoretical mapping and collaborative technical design activities.ResultsThe resulting intervention named WorkMyWay targets a reduction in office workers’ prolonged stationary behaviors at work and an increase in regular breaks by modifying behavioral determinants in 11 theoretical domains with 17 behavior change techniques. The delivery technology consists of a wearable activity tracker, a light-emitting diode reminder device attached to a vessel (ie, water bottle or cup), and a companion Android app connected to both devices over Bluetooth. The delivery plan consists of a 2-week baseline assessment, a 30-min face-to-face action planning session, and 6-week self-directed use of the delivery technology.ConclusionsThis is the first study to demonstrate that it is possible to develop a complex IoT-enabled intervention by applying a combination of the BCW and HCD approaches. The next step is to assess the feasibility of WorkMyWay prior to testing intervention efficacy in a full-scale trial. The intervention mapping table that links individual intervention components with hypothesized mechanisms of action can serve as the basis for testing and clarifying theory-based mechanisms of action in future studies on WorkMyWay.
Highlights
BackgroundSedentary behavior (SB) is “any waking behavior characterized by an energy expenditure of less than 1.5 metabolic equivalents (METs) while in a sitting, reclining, or lying posture” [1]
The delivery technology consists of a wearable activity tracker, a light-emitting diode reminder device attached to a vessel, and a companion Android app connected to both devices over Bluetooth
In view of the above, we develop and report an internet of things (IoTs)-enabled SB intervention named WorkMyWay, which is systematically grounded in theories using the behavior change wheel (BCW) and balanced with stakeholder requirements for acceptability in workplace contexts
Summary
BackgroundSedentary behavior (SB) is “any waking behavior characterized by an energy expenditure of less than 1.5 metabolic equivalents (METs) while in a sitting, reclining, or lying posture” [1]. The past two decades have seen an increasing number of digital technologies with various form factors (eg, personal computers, tablets, smartphones, wearables, service robots, and internet of things [IoT]) entering people’s everyday lives; they are increasingly utilized to deliver digital behavior change interventions (DBCIs) for health [9,10]. Attempts to explore emerging digital interfaces beyond screens for health have been sporadic yet encouraging These include IoT-enabled persuasive designs that overlay or embed digital information on or in the physical environment to influence behaviors at both conscious [11,12,13,14] and unconscious [15,16,17,18,19] levels. The prevalence of prolonged sitting at work among office workers makes a case for SB interventions to target this setting and population. Little is known about how to develop interventions involving IoT technologies
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
