Digital Health

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The BMed Lab has had a consistent focus on physical activity interventions that apply technology to the behaviour change experience. Studies investigate everything from exergames, to internet interventions and mobile phone apps.  
 
We are currently recruiting participants for a web-based intervention among those whose physical activity has been affected due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Find out more about the study and how to participate here.

 


  

Key papers on web and mobile health interventions: 

  1. Hollman, H., Sui, W., Zhang, H., & Rhodes, R.E. (2025). A mobile health application informed by the multi-process action control framework to promote physical activity among inactive adults: Iterative usability study. Journal of Medical Internet Research Formative Research, 9, Article e59477. https://doi.org/10.2196/5947
  2. Grant, S. J., Liu, S., & Rhodes, R. E. (2024). A web-based physical activity intervention targeting affect regulation: A randomized feasibility trial. Psychology & Health, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2024.2372658
  3. Sui, W., Hollman, H., Magel, E., & Rhodes, R.E. (2024). Increasing physical activity among adults affected by COVID-19 social distancing restrictions: A feasibility trial of an online intervention. Journal of Behavioral Medicine47(5), 886–899. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-024-00501-6
  4. De Bruijn, G.J., Liu, S., & Rhodes, R.E. (2022). Mobile health, behavior change. In J. van Weert (Ed.), The international encyclopedia of health communication. Wiley-Blackwell.
  5. Hartson, K.R., Della, L.J., King, K.M., Liu, S., Newquist, P.N., & Rhodes, R.E. (2022). Application of the IDEAS framework in adapting a web-based physical activity intervention for young adult college students. Healthcare, 10(4), Article 700. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10040700
  6. Hollman, H., Sui, W., & Rhodes, R.E. (2022). A feasibility randomized controlled trial of a multi-process action control web-based intervention that targets physical activity in mothers. Women & Health, 62(5), 384-401. https://doi.org/10.1080/03630242.2022.2072050
  7. Liu, S., La, H., Willms, A., & Rhodes, R.E. (2022). A “no-code” app design platform for mobile health research: A development and usability study. JMIR Formative Research, 6(8), Article e38737. https://doi.org/10.2196/38737
  8. Sahin, C., Courtney, K.L., Naylor, P.J., & Rhodes, R.E. (2022). Mobile text message design and delivery preferences of patients with type 2 diabetes: A social marketing approach. Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science7, 415–427. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-022-00250-w
  9. Sui, W., Morava, A., Tsang, J., Sui, A., & Rhodes, R.E. (2022). Describing the use of behaviour change techniques among the most popular home workout channels on YouTube - A quantitative content analysis. Journal of Health Psychology, 27(13), 2951-2963. https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053221074584
  10. Sui, W., Rush, J., & Rhodes, R.E. (2022). Engagement with online fitness videos on YouTube and Instagram during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A longitudinal study. Journal of Medical Internet Research: Formative Research, 6(3), e25055. https://doi.org/10.2196/25055
  11. Sui, W., Sui, A., & Rhodes, R.E. (2022). What to watch: Practical considerations and strategies for using YouTube for research. Digital Health, 8, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076221123707
  12. Duan, Y., Shang, B., Liang, W., Du, G., Yang, M., & Rhodes, R.E. (2021). Effects of eHealth multiple health behavior intervention for physical activity, healthy diet and weight in people with non-communicable diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(2), Article e23786. https://doi.org/10.2196/23786
  13. Sahin, C., Courtney, K.L., Naylor, P.J., Rhodes, R.E. (2021). Patients’ evaluations of mobile text messaging studies for type 2 diabetes management: A systematic review and a meta-synthesis. Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science, 6(1), 54-73. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-020-00168-1
  14. Liu, S., Husband, C., La, H., Juba, M., Loucks, R., Harrison, A., & Rhodes, R.E.(2019). Development of a self-guided web-based intervention to promote physical activity using the Multi-process Action Control Framework. Internet Interventions 15, 35-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2018.11.003
  15. Sahin, C., Naylor, P.J., & Rhodes, R.E.(2019). Tailored mobile text messaging interventions targeting type 2 diabetes self-management: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Digital Health, 5, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1177/2055207619845279 

Key papers on Exergaming:

  1. Craig, T., Rhodes, R. E., & Sui, W. (2024). Examining and comparing the energy expenditure of two modes of the virtual reality fitness game “Supernatural”. JMIR Serious Games, 12, Article e53999. https://doi.org/10.2196/53999
  2. Kaos, M., Rhodes, R. E., Hämäläinen P., & Graham, T. C. N. (2019). Social play in an exergame: How the need to belong predicts adherence. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300660
  3. Rhodes, R. E., Beauchamp, M. R., Blanchard, C. M., Bredin, S. S. D., Warburton, D. E. R., & Maddison, R. (2019). Predictors of stationary cycling exergame use among inactive children in the family home. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 41, 181-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.03.009
  4. Kaos, M. D., Beauchamp, M., Bursick, S. K., Latimer-Cheung, A. E., Hernandez, H., Warburton, D., Yao, C., Ye, Z., Graham, T. C., & Rhodes, R. E. (2018). Efficacy of online multi-player versus single-player exergames on adherence behaviours among children: A nonrandomized control trial. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 20, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kax061
  5. Rhodes, R. E., Nwachukwu, N., & Quinlan, A. (2018). Family exergaming: Correlates and preferences. Games for Health Journal, 7(3), 188-196. https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2017.0177
  6. Rhodes, R. E., Blanchard, C. M., Bredin, S S. D., Beauchamp, M. R., Maddison, R., & Warburton, D. E. R. (2017). Stationary cycling exergame use among inactive children in the family home: A randomized trial. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 40(6), 978-988. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-017-9866-7

Click here for Dr. Rhodes' full list of publications