title: A framework for modeling health behavior protocols and their linkage to behavioral theory.
abstract: With the rise in chronic, behavior-related disease, computerized behavioral protocols (CBPs) that help individuals improve behaviors have the potential to play an increasing role in the future health of society. To be effective and widely used CBPs should be based on accepted behavioral theory. However, designing CBPs while at the same time specifying their linkages to behavioral theory and developing reusable CBP components (interventions) are challenges to developers of CBPs. Having an ontology with which to describe CBPs could help with these issues. As a first step towards creating such an ontology, we modeled PACE-Adolescent, a theory-based behavioral protocol that uses the Stages of Change Model and Social Cognitive Theory, using PROTEGE-2000, an ontology editor and knowledge acquisition system. We created a three-part knowledge model. Two sub-ontologies described behavioral interventions and psychological theories. The third component, implemented using Guideline Interchange Format (GLIF3), provided a way to describe the structure of a protocol and to link intervention resources and groups of actions to elements of psychological theory. Using this framework, we formally described the PACE-Adolescent protocol. Creating knowledge models such as this may lead to improvements in the design and evaluation of computerized health behavior protocols.
authors.affiliation: Health Services and Research and Development, Veterans Administration San Diego Healthcare System, USA. llenert@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lenert
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mailhot
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patrick
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000465:Algorithms; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D020000:Decision Support Systems, Clinical; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States