Persuasive mHealth Behavioural Change Interventions to Promote Healthy Lifestyle
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
Remote access: https://oulu.zoom.us/j/68977528373
Topic of the dissertation
Persuasive mHealth Behavioural Change Interventions to Promote Healthy Lifestyle
Doctoral candidate
Master of Science Sanaul Haque
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine, Research Unit of Medical Technology Physics and Technology (MIPT)
Subject of study
Medical Physics and Technology
Opponent
Doctor Elisabetta Farella, FBK-ICT Irst, Trento, Italy
Custos
Professor Timo Jämsä, University of Oulu
Technological solutions can support health behaviour change
Doctoral dissertation by Md Sanaul Haque, which will be presented for public defence in the University of Oulu, Finland, shows that technological solutions can support health behaviour change.
The value of human health and wellbeing was coined over 2 000 years ago by Roman poet Virgil, when he stated, “The greatest wealth is health.” With the growth of modern civilisation, human beings have come to understand the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. On the other hand, unhealthy lifestyle is one of the leading causes of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes etc.
Maintaining a healthy life requires improving lifestyle. People spend a significant amount of time at their workplace, and due to this, health promotion actions in the workplace are essential, focusing on changing personal health behaviours, such as healthy eating and physical activity.
Mobile health (mHealth) applications might offer a solution for motivating people towards a healthy lifestyle. Yet, the majority of mHealth interventions have not addressed for their effectiveness, and it has been recommended to study the feasibility of these mHealth interventions.
This study developed and evaluated the feasibility of mHealth solutions for changing health behaviour in a workplace environment. The focus was on healthy eating and physical activity during the work hours. Persuasive design techniques involving users was applied in the design and development of sustainable persuasive mHealth behavioural change interventions. The study demonstrates how psychological theories can be utilised to design mHealth applications. The feasibility of the applications was assessed by experimental studies with quantitative and qualitative surveys. The results of the study demonstrate that the design process of the applications was a successful approach and can be used in future persuasive mHealth applications.
The value of human health and wellbeing was coined over 2 000 years ago by Roman poet Virgil, when he stated, “The greatest wealth is health.” With the growth of modern civilisation, human beings have come to understand the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. On the other hand, unhealthy lifestyle is one of the leading causes of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes etc.
Maintaining a healthy life requires improving lifestyle. People spend a significant amount of time at their workplace, and due to this, health promotion actions in the workplace are essential, focusing on changing personal health behaviours, such as healthy eating and physical activity.
Mobile health (mHealth) applications might offer a solution for motivating people towards a healthy lifestyle. Yet, the majority of mHealth interventions have not addressed for their effectiveness, and it has been recommended to study the feasibility of these mHealth interventions.
This study developed and evaluated the feasibility of mHealth solutions for changing health behaviour in a workplace environment. The focus was on healthy eating and physical activity during the work hours. Persuasive design techniques involving users was applied in the design and development of sustainable persuasive mHealth behavioural change interventions. The study demonstrates how psychological theories can be utilised to design mHealth applications. The feasibility of the applications was assessed by experimental studies with quantitative and qualitative surveys. The results of the study demonstrate that the design process of the applications was a successful approach and can be used in future persuasive mHealth applications.
Last updated: 1.3.2023