Systematic and Collaborative Approach to Learning and Educational Content Development (SCALED) for Health Apps: An...

Mobile health (mHealth) apps are widely used for noncommunicable disease prevention and self-management. However, their effectiveness and safety are undermined by substantial variation in content quality. Existing guiding frameworks primarily focus on user interface, functionality, and intervention delivery, with limited emphasis on content creation. In this viewpoint, we introduce Systematic and Collaborative Approach to Learning and Educational Content Development (SCALED), a conceptual framework designed to guide a systematic, collaborative, and evidence-based approach to mHealth educational content development, intended for app developers, researchers, health care providers, and the wider mHealth community. Developed and refined across 3 phases, the SCALED framework consists of 11 components organized into 3 sequential stages: planning and conceptualization, development of textual content, and finalization into delivery format. We discuss the rationale behind each component and illustrate its applicability through 2 mHealth use cases. The framework integrates real-world experience from the development of 3 mHealth apps, qualitative findings from 2 studies, and insights from key stakeholders. By offering a structured and replicable methodology for content development, SCALED addresses a critical gap in current mHealth frameworks and provides a practical guide to improve content veracity, with potential for adaptation across a range of medical conditions.