The effectiveness of technology-based strategies to promote engagement with digital interventions: a systematic review protocol.
BACKGROUND
Digital interventions provide effective and potentially cost-effective models for improving health outcomes as they deliver health information and services that are widely disseminated, confidential, and can be tailored to needs of the individual user. Digital interventions have been used successfully for health promotion, mental health, and for enabling self-management of long-term conditions. However, their effectiveness is limited by low usage rates, with non-engagement a major challenge. Hence, it is crucial to find effective strategies to increase user engagement with digital interventions.


OBJECTIVE
This systematic review will aim to evaluate the effectiveness of technology-based strategies to promote engagement with digital interventions.


METHODS
We will follow Cochrane Collaboration guidelines on systematic review methodology. The search strategy will be executed across seven e-databases (including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL) using the concepts "digital intervention" and "engagement", limited by study type (randomized controlled trial). Grey literature and reference lists of included studies will be searched. Titles and abstracts will be independently screened by 2 authors. Then the full text of potentially eligible papers will be obtained and double screened. Data from eligible papers will be extracted by 1 author and checked for accuracy by another author. Bias will be assessed using the Cochrane bias assessment tool. Narrative synthesis will report on all included studies, and where appropriate, data will be pooled using meta-analysis. All findings will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Sources of heterogeneity will be further investigated if required.


RESULTS
Our research is in progress. The final draft of the systematic review is being written and will be submitted before the end of 2015.


CONCLUSIONS
The review findings will inform researchers and digital intervention providers about optimal use of technology-based strategies to promote engagement with digital interventions.


BACKGROUND
PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews: CRD42014010164; http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42014010164#.VTZmmiFViko (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6XxQC8fT8).
E-Health Unit, Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom. Ghadah.alkhaldi.12@ucl.ac.uk.
Ghadah
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9041-4546
G
Alkhaldi
Fiona L
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3126-5074
FL
Hamilton
Rosa
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0625-2228
R
Lau
Rosie
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3946-5783
R
Webster
Susan
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0063-6378
S
Michie
Elizabeth
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8932-3695
E
Murray
Internet; Web-based interventions; adherence; attrition; computers; engagement; systematic review; usage