Behaviour Change and e-Health - Looking Broadly: A Scoping Narrative Review

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Health Behavior Change
• Information and Communications Technology

Background:

• Health-related behavior change encompasses modifications in individual, community, or environmental health behaviors.
• e-Health (digital health) specifically refers to behavioral impacts mediated by digital health interventions.
• Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are increasingly imposing health-related behavior changes on the public and healthcare professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping narrative review to understand the deliberate and incidental impacts of ICTs on health-related behavior change.
• To analyze contemporary and less appreciated aspects of behavior change in the digital age.
• To identify and acknowledge the broader impacts of e-health approaches on health behavior change.

Main Methods:

• A scoping narrative review was performed.
• Peer-reviewed and grey literature resources were utilized.
• Qualitative information was charted from selected literature for objective analysis.

Main Results:

• The internet and World Wide Web (WWW) have enabled personalized health behavior change through websites, electronic diaries, and mobile phones.
• Physicians and patients exhibit changed behaviors via 'spontaneous telemedicine' and 'medical selfies'.
• Social media accelerates the spread of health information, misinformation, and disinformation, impacting public health (e.g., anti-vaccination movements).

Conclusions:

• ICTs, including social media, profoundly impact health-related behavior change, both intentionally and incidentally.
• The rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation via digital platforms poses significant public health risks.
• Acknowledging these broader impacts is crucial for redirecting behavior change efforts and theory.