title: Characterising smoking cessation smartphone applications in terms of behaviour change techniques, engagement and ease-of-use features.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess whether or not behaviour change techniques (BCTs) as well as engagement and ease-of-use features used in smartphone applications (apps) to aid smoking cessation can be identified reliably. Apps were coded for presence of potentially effective BCTs, and engagement and ease-of-use features. Inter-rater reliability for this coding was assessed. Inter-rater agreement for identifying presence of potentially effective BCTs ranged from 66.8 to 95.1 % with 'prevalence and bias adjusted kappas' (PABAK) ranging from 0.35 to 0.90 (p < 0.001). The intra-class correlation coefficients between the two coders for scores denoting the proportions of (a) a set of engagement features and (b) a set of ease-of-use features, which were included, were 0.77 and 0.75, respectively (p < 0.001). Prevalence estimates for BCTs ranged from <10 % for medication advice to >50 % for rewarding abstinence. The average proportions of specified engagement and ease-of-use features included in the apps were 69 and 83 %, respectively. The study found that it is possible to identify potentially effective BCTs, and engagement and ease-of-use features in smoking cessation apps with fair to high inter-rater reliability.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK. harveenk26@gmail.com.|Department of Family Medicine, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands. harveenk26@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Harveen Kaur
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Ubhi
authors.affiliation: Centre for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Michie
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.|Department of Family Medicine, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Institute of General Practice, Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kotz
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Onno C P
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: van Schayck
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Abiram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Selladurai
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.|Department of Family Medicine, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: West
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D063731:Mobile Applications / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D010358:Patient Participation; D015995:Prevalence; D000068997:Smartphone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Applications; Apps; BCTs; Behaviour change interventions; Behaviour change techniques; Ease-of-use; Engagement; Feature; Mobile; Smartphone; Smoking; Smoking cessation; Taxonomy