Design and Content Quality of Alcohol-Related German, French and Italian Self-Tracking Applications

Abstract

Background: Research on the increasing use of mobile technology in the addiction field is mainly focused on data collection and brief interventions. The acceptance and outcomes of autonomous self-tracking and self-governance as key elements for behavior change are under-researched. Purpose/Objectives: The objective of the study was to conduct a quality assessment of design and content features of self-tracking smartphone applications related to alcohol use, available in German, Italian, or French. Methods: A total of 25 self-tracking applications were identified, of which 17 could be assessed with the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), the System Usability Scale (SUS), and an additional content quality checklist based on the theoretical self-change framework (n = 13). Results: The scale design analysis showed a rather positive picture. Using the SUS, only six cases were below the reference average (x = 68), and three were clearly above average. Application of the MARS showed higher scores among the self-tracking applications in this study than among the health applications reviewed in the original MARS study. Better design quality goes together with better basic content quality. However, a closer look at the “interactivity scores” and the “risk/information barometer,” as well as at the individual subtopics of the 10-point content checklist revealed major shortcomings. Conclusions/Importance: Improvements are necessary for consumer information in app stores, increased availability of alcohol-related self-tracking applications, transparent quality assurance regarding evidence-based content, and user-friendly design quality, to provide guidance for potential users on how to successfully navigate a highly unstable digital environment.

Keywords:

• Recovery
• quantified self
• self-tracking
• Switzerland
• quality assessment
• digital tools

Acknowledgements

Special thanks go to three key people in the addiction field in Switzerland, who we presented with the list of applications and asked to check if it was complete (all confirmed that no other applications were known): Dr. Y. Khazal from the Geneva University Hospital research group and coauthor of the English app quality assessment exercise (Penzenstadler et al., 2016; email confirmation March 2017); B. Erni, Director of the Berner Gesundheit, the major association of addiction counseling and prevention agencies (email confirmation September 2017); and M. Mezzera, Head of the Berner Gesundheit Health Promotion, Prevention Division (email confirmation March 2018). We are also grateful for the advice, Professor Daniel Gatica-Perez (Idiap laboratory at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne) provided during the early stages of the project.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Statement of ethics

Ethical approval was not required, as the subjects of analysis were public Internet applications.

Notes

1 Free APP for iPhones and iPads and Android and Smartphones iSelfChange™®, the evidence-based app is available 24/7, is confidential, innovative, free, and provides a non-stigmatizing way of helping people change their drinking (and smoking if smokers) without entering treatment. The app can be downloaded for free at the iTunes and Google Play stores by searching for iSelfChange™ or clicking on the following links. iPhones: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iselfchange/id761033899?ls=1&mt=8 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=edu.nova.iSelfChange

2 The results of the overall study are accessible with the following link in German and in French: http://swissalkselftrack.ch/

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Swiss Foundation for Alcohol Research (SSA) Grant 274.

Notes on contributors

Harald Klingemann

H. Klingemann acted as PI for the project and conducted and coordinated the analysis; M. Flückiger, M. Carrara, T. Bongard, and M. Buechi were in charge of data collection and design evaluation (MARS and SUS), and contributed significantly to the interpretation of the results and the submitted manuscript.

Michael Flückiger

H. Klingemann acted as PI for the project and conducted and coordinated the analysis; M. Flückiger, M. Carrara, T. Bongard, and M. Buechi were in charge of data collection and design evaluation (MARS and SUS), and contributed significantly to the interpretation of the results and the submitted manuscript.

Thierry Bongard

H. Klingemann acted as PI for the project and conducted and coordinated the analysis; M. Flückiger, M. Carrara, T. Bongard, and M. Buechi were in charge of data collection and design evaluation (MARS and SUS), and contributed significantly to the interpretation of the results and the submitted manuscript.

Marlen Büchi

H. Klingemann acted as PI for the project and conducted and coordinated the analysis; M. Flückiger, M. Carrara, T. Bongard, and M. Buechi were in charge of data collection and design evaluation (MARS and SUS), and contributed significantly to the interpretation of the results and the submitted manuscript.

Marco Carrara

H. Klingemann acted as PI for the project and conducted and coordinated the analysis; M. Flückiger, M. Carrara, T. Bongard, and M. Buechi were in charge of data collection and design evaluation (MARS and SUS), and contributed significantly to the interpretation of the results and the submitted manuscript.