Co-design of mHealth Delivered Interventions: A Systematic Review to Assess Key Methods and Processes

Most mobile health (mHealth) programmes are designed with minimal input from target end users and are not truly personalised or adaptive to their specific and evolving needs. This review describes the methods and processes used in the co-design of mHealth interventions. Nine relevant studies of varying design were identified following searches of six academic databases. All employed co-design or participatory methods for the development of a health intervention delivered via a mobile device, with three focusing on health behaviour change (one on nutrition) and six on management of a health condition. Overall, six key phases of design and 17 different methods were used. Sufficiency of reporting was poor, and no study undertook a robust assessment of efficacy; these factors should be a focus for future studies. An opportunity exists to use co-design methods to develop acceptable and feasible mHealth interventions, especially to support improved nutrition and for minority and indigenous groups.