Five lessons learned from randomized controlled trials on mobile health interventions: Consensus procedure on practical recommendations for sustainable research

Abstract

Background: Clinical research on mobile health (mHealth) interventions is too slow in comparison to the rapid speed of technological advances, thereby impeding sustainable research and evidence-based implementation of mHealth interventions. Objective: We aimed to establish practical lessons from the experience of our working group, which might accelerate the development of future mHealth interventions and their evaluation by randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: This paper is based on group and expert discussions, and focuses on the researchers' perspectives after four RCTs on mHealth interventions for chronic pain. Results: The following five lessons are presented, which are based on practical application, increase of speed, and sustainability: (1) explore stakeholder opinions, (2) develop the mHealth app and trial simultaneously, (3) minimize complexity, (4) manage necessary resources, and (5) apply behavior change techniques. Conclusions: The five lessons developed may lead toward an agile research environment. Agility might be the key factor in the development and research process of a potentially sustainable and evidence-based mHealth intervention.