The promise and challenge of eHealth interventions.
OBJECTIVE
To discuss how health behavior researchers can use the Internet to study and intervene on health behavior.


METHODS
Describe how the Internet is increasingly able to offer a viable medium for health behavior intervention and the challenges and opportunities inherent in conducting online interventions and research.


RESULTS
The challenges of eHealth include coping with the additional demands of development, finding ways to reach "hard-to-reach" audiences, and maintaining privacy and security while monitoring participant use.


CONCLUSIONS
Health behavior researchers and interventionists need to learn to apply eHealth tools to extend their ability to study and influence health behavior.
Atkinson
Nancy L
NL
Department of Public and Community Health, University of Maryland, College Park 20742, USA.
Gold
Robert S
RS
D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D014481:United States