Table 1 Areas of challenge in assessing engagement and adherence in digital studies in brain health (as identified by the consensus group)
From: Engagement and attrition in digital mental health: current challenges and potential solutions
1. Lack of universally agreed definitions of metrics related to engagement • Terms such as usage, engagement, adherence, attrition, and empowerment all have variable definitions in individual studies • Raw data are often not reported |
2. Lack of evidence of how or whether improved engagement improves outcomes. • No clear evidence that increased engagement improves outcomes • No clear evidence of a dose effect of engagement or the optimal dose needed • Difficulties of translating engagement from the research to real-world settings • No clear evidence on the exact mechanisms of engagement, individual effective use patterns and attrition • Interaction with mental health • Attrition • Lack of adverse event reporting |
3. User involvement in developing and delivering digital health interventions • User involvement can occur in different ways and levels of intensity and inclusivity • Reporting of user involvement is variable • User centred design may improve engagement and outcomes, but more direct evidence is needed |
