Choosing between responsive-design websites versus mobile apps for your mobile behavioral intervention: presenting four case studies.

Gabrielle M Turner-McGrievy, Sarah B Hales, Danielle E Schoffman, Homay Valafar, Keith Brazendale, R Glenn Weaver, Michael W Beets, Michael D Wirth, Nitin Shivappa, Trisha Mandes, James R Hébert, Sara Wilcox, Andrew Hester, Matthew J McGrievy

Journal: Translational behavioral medicine 2018;7(2):224-232

PMID: 27812798

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Abstract

Both mobile apps and responsive-design websites (web apps) can be used to deliver mobile health (mHealth) interventions, but it can be difficult to discern which to use in research. The goal of this paper is to present four case studies from behavioral interventions that developed either a mobile app or a web app for research and present an information table to help researchers determine which mobile option would work best for them. Four behavioral intervention case studies (two developed a mobile app, and two developed a web app) presented include time, cost, and expertise. Considerations for adopting a mobile app or a web app-such as time, cost, access to programmers, data collection, security needs, and intervention components- are presented. Future studies will likely integrate both mobile app and web app modalities. The considerations presented here can help guide researchers on which platforms to choose prior to starting an mHealth intervention.

Address: Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Room 529, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA. [email protected].; Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Room 529, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.; College of Computer Science and Engineering, Swearingen Engineering Center, University of South Carolina, 301 Main St., Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.; Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, 921 Assembly St., Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.; Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.; Arnold School of Public Health, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.; Connecting Health Innovations, LLC, 1417 Gregg Street, Columbia, SC, 29201, USA.; Arnold School of Public Health, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.; Connecting Health Innovations, LLC, 1417 Gregg Street, Columbia, SC, 29201, USA.; Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, 921 Assembly St., Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.; Arnold School of Public Health, Prevention Research Center, University of South Carolina, 921 Assembly St., Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.; Arnold School of Public Health, Web and Communications Core, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.

DOI: 10.1007/s13142-016-0448-y

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MeSH Terms: Child, Choice Behavior, Computer Security, Data Collection, Diet, Healthy, Exercise, Health Promotion, Humans, Inflammation, Internet, Mobile Applications, Overweight, Parents, Pilot Projects, Stress, Psychological, Telemedicine, Time Factors