Table 1.
Summary of main features of NHS-DDPP provider programme delivery, highlighting differences between providers.
| Provider A | Provider C | Provider D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-monitoring | Mode of delivery: app | Mode of delivery: app | Mode of delivery: app |
| Users could track the following behaviours in the app: diet, physical activity, fluid intake, mood, appetite, bowel movements, symptoms. | Users could track the following behaviours in the app: diet, physical activity, steps, sleep, alcohol, smoking, medicine, pain, mood. | Users could track the following behaviours in the app: diet, steps, sleep. | |
| Users could track the following outcomes in the app: weight, blood glucose levels, blood pressure, waist circumference. | Users could track the following outcomes in the app: weight, blood glucose levels, fasting blood sugar, blood pressure, waist-hip ratio. | Users could track the following outcomes in the app: weight. | |
| Goal setting | Mode of delivery: app | Mode of delivery: app | Mode of delivery: app |
| Users could set goals for the following behaviours in the app: diet, physical activity, fluid intake, mood, appetite, bowel movements, symptoms. | Users could set goals for the following behaviours in the app: diet, physical activity, steps, sleep, alcohol, smoking, medicine, pain, mood. | Users could set goals for the following behaviours in the app: diet, physical activity, mind-set, stress, sleep, custom (free text). | |
| Users could set goals for the following outcomes in the app: weight, blood glucose levels, blood pressure, waist circumference. | Users could set goals for the following outcomes in the app: weight, blood glucose levels, fasting blood sugar, blood pressure, waist-hip ratio. | Users could set goals for the following outcomes in the app: weight. | |
| Educational content | Mode of delivery: articles via app, also via online learning platform | Mode of delivery: articles/videos/links sent by health coach via message in app | Mode of delivery: articles via app, also via online learning platform |
| 42 lessons comprising articles which included text, images, videos, podcasts and links to external websites. | Tailored educational articles, videos and website links sent from health coach to service users via message in app. | Articles which included text, images, videos, podcasts and links to external websites. | |
| Content unlocked weekly throughout nine-months. | Content is sent weekly (months 1–3), bi-weekly (months 4–6), and monthly (months 7–9) over the nine-month programme. | Content unlocked weekly during the first three months of the programme. Seven optional ‘Sustain’ courses through months 4–7 of the programme with more in-depth information on education topics. |
|
| All providers covered topics such as dietary fibre, alcohol, physical activity, managing stress, sleep, and managing social events. | |||
| Social support | Mode of delivery: health coach support via calls and messaging in app | Mode of delivery: health coach support via calls and messaging in app | Mode of delivery: health coach support via messaging in app |
| Monthly telephone call to discuss progress and review goals. Health coaches send messages to users and provide feedback on behaviours/outcomes tracked in the app. |
Initial 45-minute video call to discuss programme and set goals. Regular messages from health coach throughout nine-month programme, including receiving educational content and feedback on behaviours/outcomes tracked in the app. Health coaches check-in with users weekly, then bi-weekly and then monthly. |
Support from health coach via the group chat during the first three months of the programme. One-to-one messaging also available during first three months of programme. | |
| Mode of delivery: group support in app | Mode of delivery: group support in app | ||
| Open group discussion forum available throughout the nine-month programme. | Users allocated to a closed group chat (10–15 people, available on app), moderated by a health coach for the first three months of the programme. Closed group is available through months 4–9 without the health coach moderation. | ||
| Open group discussion forum available in months 4–9. | |||
Note. Provider B was unable to supply usage data for this analysis. Providers are labelled A, C and D to provide anonymisation, but to allow cross-reference to previous papers published by the research team for this programme of work (Hawkes et al., 2022a; Hawkes et al., 2023).
Note. Provider A did not offer group support at the time this study was conducted, but now offers a group support pathway to users who wish to receive group support via a group chat.