Using Behavior Change Techniques to Guide Selections of Mobile Applications to Promote Fluid Consumption

Objective: To determine the extent to which validated techniques for behavior change have been infused in commercially available fluid consumption applications (apps).

Materials and methods: Coders evaluated behavior change techniques represented in online descriptions for 50 fluid consumption apps and the latest version of each app.

Results: Apps incorporated a limited range of behavior change techniques (<20% of taxonomy). The number of techniques varied by operating system but not as a function of whether apps were free or paid. Limitations include the lack of experimental evidence establishing the efficacy of these apps.

Conclusion: Patients with urolithiasis can choose from many apps to support the recommended increase in fluid intake. Apps for iOS devices incorporate more behavior change techniques compared to apps for the Android operating system. Free apps are likely to expose patients to a similar number of techniques as paid apps. Physicians and patients should screen app descriptions for features to promote self-monitoring and provide feedback on discrepancies between behavior and a fluid consumption goal.