Apps and wearables to monitor physical activity and sedentary behaviour: Findings from a qualitative systematic review on barriers and facilitators

Introduction: Monitoring physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) using mobile phone applications (apps) and wearable technology (wearables) may improve these health behaviours. This systematic review aims to synthesise the qualitative literature on the barriers and facilitators of using apps and wearables to monitor PA and SB in adults.

Method: This review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42017070194). Scientific databases including CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane Library and Scopus were searched for relevant studies published from 1st January 2012 to 1st September 2017. Studies were included if they 1) included adults who directly used an app or wearable to monitor PA and/or SB 2) explored the barriers and/or facilitators of using an app and/or wearable and 3) were published in English. Following duplicate screening of 4550 titles and abstracts, full-texts of potentially eligible papers will be screened to identify studies using qualitative approaches to explore barriers and facilitators of using apps and/or wearables to monitor PA and/or SB. Discrepancies were resolved through discussion or by consulting a third screener. Relevant excerpts (quotes and text) from the included papers will be extracted and analysed thematically. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) Qualitative Research Checklist will be used to appraise included studies.

Conclusion: Screening is expected to be complete by April 2018 and data extraction by May 2018. This presentation will therefore discuss the findings of the thematic analysis. The results of this work will be useful for those intending to monitor PA and/or SB using these technologies.