Using Mobile Phones in Health Behaviour Change - an Exploration of Perceptions among Adolescents in Sweden

Abstract

Health promotion interventions delivered via mobile phones (mHealth) need to be carefully tailored to end-users to optimize engagement and effects on health outcomes. However, tailoring requires an in-depth understanding of the users’ context and under which circumstances end-users are willing to engage. The aim of this study was to identify and describe how high school students perceive health behaviour change and how mobile phones are used in the process of change. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data collected through 6 focus groups with 21 Swedish high school students (16–19 years). The results showed that behaviour change among adolescents were promoted by having an open approach, being able to be independent, and self-accepting. Mobile phones can provide resilience in long-term behaviour change. These findings may be useful in the development of mHealth interventions, but also for professionals in promoting healthy behaviours among adolescents.

Keywords

• adolescent
• mhealth
• health behaviour
• social perception