Table 1.
Studies with digital health interventions.
| First and last author | Study acronym | Number of participants (total/intervention vs control) | Primary endpoints | Successful (yes/no) | Type of DHI | doi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widmer&Lerman | n/a | 80/40 vs. 40 | physical/biochemical metrics; behavorial characteristics | yes | online and smartphone | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2017.02.016 |
| Anand&Beyene | n/a | 343/174 vs. 169 | MI (myocardial infarction) risk score | no | emails and text messages | https://doi.org/10.1001/jamacardio.2016.1035 |
| Martin&Blaha | mActive | 48/16 vs. 32 | change in steps/day | yes | text messages | https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.115.002239 |
| Glynn&Murphy | SMART MOVE | 90/41 vs. 37 | change in steps/day | yes | smartphone app | https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp14X680461 |
| Torbjørnsen&Ribu | n/a | 101/51 vs. 50 | acceptability | yes | smartphone app | https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.8824 |
| Dallinga&Baart de la Faille-Deutekom | n/a | 3772/ 1976 vs. 1796 | running physical activity | yes | smartphone app | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015–2165-8 |
| Litman&Robinson | n/a | 726/464 vs. 262 | physical activity (self-report) | yes | smartphone app | https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4142 |
| Turner-McGrievy&Tate | n/a | 85/48 vs. 37 | activity levels; dietary intake; weight loss | yes | smartphone app | https://doi.org/10.1136/amiajnl-2012–001510 |
| Patel&Hilbert | STEP UP | 602/451 vs.151 | change in steps/day | yes | wearable; gamification | https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.3505 |
| Bennet&Miranda | Track | 351/176 vs. 175 | weight change | yes | smartphone app; smart scale; telephone calls | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2018.07.005 |
| Block&Block | Alive-PD study | 339/163 vs. 176 | fasting glucose; HbA1c; body weight | yes | behavioural intervention via web app; internet; mobile phone; automated calls | https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4897 |
| Castro Sweet&Prewitt | n/a | 501 | body weight; glucose/HbA1c; lipid profile; well being | yes | web/mobile information and tracking combined with human coaching | https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264316688791 |
| Alonso-Domínguez& Recio-Rodríguez | EMID Study | 204/102 vs. 102 | adherence to Mediterranean diet | yes | smartphone app; workshop; exercise | https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11010162 |
| Frias&Osterberg | n/a | 109/80 vs. 29 | change of systolic blood pressure | yes | Digital medicine offerings (digital medicine, wearable sensor patch and mobile device app) | https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7833 |
| Morawski&Choudhry | MedISAFE-BP | 411/209 vs. 202 | medication adherence; change of systolic blood pressure | yes | Smartphone app (Medisafe app) | https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.0447 |
| Johnston&Varenhorst | SUPPORT study | 174/91 vs. 83 | medication adherence | yes | smartphone app | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2016.05.005 |
| Zhang&Wang | SBCHDP (smartphone-based coronary heart disease prevention) programme | 80/40 vs. 40 | perceived stress; behavioural risk factors | no (but positive tendency) | smartphone app (Care4Heart) | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12955-017–0623-y |
| Polizzi&Tolsma | Quit Smart | 97 (no control group, compared with published data) | smoking cessation | no | audiotape (accompanied by discount vouchers for nicotine replacement therapy, group sessions and a self-help manual) | https://doi.org/10.7812/tpp/03–048 |
| Brendryen&Kraft | Happy ending | 290/ 144 vs. 146 | abstinence from smoking | yes | internet and cell phone | https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.1005 |
| Webb Hooper & Robinson | n/a | 140/ 70 vs. 70 | feasibility and process variables, including intervention evaluations, readiness to quit | yes | DVD | https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntu079 |
| Burford & Hendrie | n/a | 160/ 80 vs. 80 | quit attempts at 6-month follow-up (self-reported and biochemically validated through testing for carbon monoxide (CO)) | yes | face aging software | https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.2337 |
| Zeng & Bricker | n/a | 98 | descriptive analysis of user characteristics and utilization of a app for smoking cessation | – | smartphone app | https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2014.0232 |
| Heffner & Bricker | n/a | 76 | explorative analysis of most-used app features; prospective associations between feature usage and quitting | – | smartphone app | https://doi.org/10.3109/00952990.2014.977486 |
| Buller & Zimmerman | n/a | 102/ 51 vs. 51 | self-reported usability of REQ-Mobile and quitting behavior | no | smartphone app; text messaging | https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2013.0169 |
| BinDhim & Trevena | SSC App | 684/ 342 vs. 342 | smoking abstinence | yes | interactive smoking cessation decision-aid application | https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017–017105 |
| Westmaas & Abroms | n/a | 1070/ 535 vs. 535 | abstinence from smoking | yes | https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016–053056 | |
| Lewis & Lyons | n/a | 35/ 19 intervention vs. 16 on waitlist (secondary mixed-method analysis) | descriptive analysis of social support patterns using a mobile app for PA | – | Jawbone Up24 activity monitor and Apple iPad Mini; Social support features in the UP app included comments and likes | https://doi.org/10.2196/12496 |
| Tong & Laranjo | n/a | 55 (secondary mixed-methods feasibility study) | descriptive analysis of users’ perspectives regarding mobile social networking interventions to promote physical activity | – | physical activity tracker and a wireless scale integrated with a social networking mobile app | https://doi.org/10.2196/11439 |
| Vandelanotte & Alley | n/a | 243/ 122 vs. 121 | increase in physical activity | yes | 8 modules of theory-based, personally tailored physical activity advice and action planning. Participants were randomized to receive the same intervention either with or without Fitbit tracker integration. | https://doi.org/10.2196/11321 |
| Devi & Singh | n/a | 94/ 48 vs. 46 | change in steps/day | yes | step count via accelerometer | https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.3340 |
| Harris & Cook | PACE-UPPACE-Lift | PACE-UP: 236 (postal) vs. 231 (nurse support) vs. 214 (control) PACE-Lift: 108 vs. 117 (control) |
change in steps/day | yes | step count via pedometer +/- nurse counselling +/- postal counselling | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002526 |