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How behavioral science can advance digital health

  • Essay/Opinion Piece
  • Published:
Translational Behavioral Medicine

ABSTRACT

The field of behavioral science has produced myriad data on health behavior change strategies and leveraged such data into effective human-delivered interventions to improve health. Unfortunately, the impact of traditional health behavior change interventions has been heavily constrained by patient and provider burden, limited ability to measure and intervene upon behavior in real time, variable adherence, low rates of implementation, and poor third-party coverage. Digital health technologies, including mobile phones, sensors, and online social networks, by being available in real time, are being explored as tools to increase our understanding of health behavior and to enhance the impact of behavioral interventions. The recent explosion of industry attention to the development of novel health technologies is exciting but has far outpaced research. This Special Section of Translational Behavioral Medicine, Smartphones, Sensors, and Social Networks: A New Age of Health Behavior Change features a collection of studies that leverage health technologies to measure, change, and/or understand health behavior. We propose five key areas in which behavioral science can improve the impact of digital health technologies on public health. First, research is needed to identify which health technologies actually impact behavior and health outcomes. Second, we need to understand how online social networks can be leveraged to impact health behavior on a large scale. Third, a team science approach is needed in the developmental process of health technologies. Fourth, behavioral scientists should identify how a balance can be struck between the fast pace of innovation and the much slower pace of research. Fifth, behavioral scientists have an integral role in informing the development of health technologies and facilitating the movement of health technologies into the healthcare system.

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Conflicts of interest

Dr. Pagoto is on the advisory board of Mobile Wellbeing, Inc.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA

    Sherry Pagoto PhD & Gary G. Bennett PhD

Authors
  1. Sherry Pagoto PhD
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  2. Gary G. Bennett PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sherry Pagoto PhD.

Additional information

Implications

Policy: The only opportunity for digital health innovations to affect health policy is via rigorous efficacy research.

Research: Behavioral scientists are needed to facilitate the translation of digital health innovations from commercial enterprise to research to practice.

Practice: Practitioners need guidance as to which digital health innovations are appropriate and effective for their patients.

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Cite this article

Pagoto, S., Bennett, G.G. How behavioral science can advance digital health. Behav. Med. Pract. Policy Res. 3, 271–276 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-013-0234-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-013-0234-z

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