Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
Faculty of Health & Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
PLoS One. 2022 Dec 30;17(12):e0279466. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279466. eCollection 2022.
Improved understanding of participant engagement in web-based dietary interventions is needed. Engagement is a complex construct that may be best explored through mixed methods to gain comprehensive insight. To our knowledge, no web-based dietary intervention in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) has previously used a mixed methods approach. The aim of this study was to explore factors that may contribute to effective engagement in a web-based dietary program for people with T2D.
This study employed a mixed methods intervention design, with a convergent design embedded for post-intervention evaluation. The convergent design collected and analyzed quantitative and qualitative data independent of each other, with the two datasets merged/compared during results/interpretation. Quantitative data collected from intervention group participants (n = 40) were self-administered questionnaires and usage data with average values summarized. Qualitative data were participant semi-structured interviews (n = 15) incorporating a deductive-inductive thematic analysis approach.
The results from the quantitative and qualitative data indicated positive overall engagement with the web-based dietary program. Factors that contributed to effective engagement were sustained frequency and intensity of engagement; structured weekly program delivery; participants affective engagement prior to and during the intervention, with positive affective states enhancing cognitive and behavioral engagement; and participants experience of value and reward. In addition, the user-centered development process employed prior to intervention delivery played an important role in facilitating positive engagement outcomes.
This study yielded novel findings by integrating qualitative and quantitative data to explore engagement with a web-based dietary program involving people with T2D. Effective engagement occurred in this intervention through a combination of factors related to usage and participants' affective, cognitive and behavioral states. The engagement outcomes that emerged will be useful to current and future researchers using digital technologies to deliver lifestyle interventions for T2D or other chronic health conditions.
需要更好地了解参与者在基于网络的饮食干预中的参与度。参与度是一个复杂的概念，通过混合方法可以更全面地了解它。据我们所知，以前没有针对 2 型糖尿病 (T2D) 患者的基于网络的饮食干预措施使用过混合方法。本研究旨在探讨可能有助于 T2D 患者有效参与基于网络的饮食计划的因素。
本研究采用混合方法干预设计，采用收敛设计进行干预后评估。收敛设计独立收集和分析定量和定性数据，在结果/解释过程中将两个数据集合并/比较。从干预组参与者（n=40）收集的定量数据是自我管理问卷和使用数据，平均值进行了总结。定性数据是参与者的半结构化访谈（n=15），采用演绎-归纳主题分析方法。
定量和定性数据的结果表明，参与者对基于网络的饮食计划总体上参与度较高。有助于有效参与的因素包括持续的参与频率和强度；结构化的每周方案交付；参与者在干预前和干预期间的积极情感参与，积极的情感状态增强了认知和行为参与；以及参与者的体验价值和回报。此外，在干预前交付之前采用的以用户为中心的开发过程在促进积极参与结果方面发挥了重要作用。
本研究通过整合定量和定性数据来探索 T2D 患者参与基于网络的饮食计划，得出了新的发现。通过与使用情况相关的因素以及参与者的情感、认知和行为状态相结合，该干预措施实现了有效的参与。出现的参与结果将对当前和未来使用数字技术为 T2D 或其他慢性健康状况提供生活方式干预的研究人员有用。
