Donald E. Zimmerman

Bio: Donald E. Zimmerman is an academic researcher from Colorado State University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Technical communication & Usability. The author has an hindex of 16, co-authored 63 publications receiving 854 citations.

Randomized trial of a smartphone mobile application compared to text messaging to support smoking cessation.

Abstract: Background: Text messaging has successfully supported smoking cessation. This study compares a mobile application with text messaging to support smoking cessation. Materials and Methods: Young adult smokers 18–30 years old (n=102) participated in a randomized pretest–posttest trial. Smokers received a smartphone application (REQ-Mobile) with short messages and interactive tools or a text messaging system (onQ), managed by an expert system. Self-reported usability of REQ-Mobile and quitting behavior (quit attempts, point-prevalence, 30-day point-prevalence, and continued abstinence) were assessed in posttests. Results: Overall, 60% of smokers used mobile services (REQ-Mobile, 61%, mean of 128.5 messages received; onQ, 59%, mean of 107.8 messages), and 75% evaluated REQ-Mobile as user-friendly. A majority of smokers reported being abstinent at posttest (6 weeks, 53% of completers; 12 weeks, 66% of completers [44% of all cases]). Also, 37% (25%of all cases) reported 30-day point-prevalence abstinenc...

User-friendly web mapping: lessons from a citizen science website

Abstract: Citizen science websites are emerging as a common way for volunteers to collect and report geographic ecological data. Engaging the public in citizen science is challenging and, when involving online participation, data entry, and map use, becomes even more daunting. Given these new challenges, citizen science websites must be easy to use, result in positive overall satisfaction for many different users, support many different tasks, and ensure data quality. To begin reaching these goals, we built a geospatially enabled citizen science website, evaluated its usability, and gained experience by working with and listening to citizens using the website. We sought to determine general perceptions, discover potential problems, and iteratively improve website features. Although the website was rated positively overall, map-based tasks identified a wide range of problems. Given our results, we redesigned the website, improved the content, enhanced the ease of use, simplified the map interface, and added features. We discuss citizen science websites in relation to online Public Participation Geographic Information Systems, examine the role(s) websites may play in the citizen science research model, discuss how citizen science research advances GIScience, and offer guidelines to improve citizen-based web mapping applications.

Effect of Emailed Messages on Return Use of a Nutrition Education Website and Subsequent Changes in Dietary Behavior

Abstract: Background: At-risk populations can be reached with Web-based disease prevention and behavior change programs. However, such eHealth applications on the Internet need to generate return usage to be effective. Limited evidence is available on how continued usage can be encouraged. Objective: This analysis tested whether routine email notification about a nutrition education website promoted more use of the website. Methods: Adults from six rural counties in Colorado and New Mexico, United States (n = 755) participating in a randomized trial and assigned to the intervention group (n = 380) received, over a period of 4 months, email messages alerting them to updates on the website, along with hyperlinks to new content. Update alerts were sent approximately every 5 weeks (each participant received up to 4 messages). Log-ons to the website were the primary outcome for this analysis. Results: A total of 23.5% (86/366) of the participants responded to at least one email, and 51.2% (44/86) of these participants responded to half of the email messages by logging on to the website. Significantly more log-ons occurred on email notification days compared to all other days (OR = 3.71, 95% CI = 2.72-5.06). More log-ons also occurred just after the notification but declined each day thereafter (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.96-0.98 one day further from mass email). Non-Hispanics (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.26-0.84), older participants (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.04-1.06), and those using the Internet most recently (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.51-0.77) were more likely to log on. Responders to the messages had a more positive change in fruit and vegetable intake (mean change = +1.69) than nonresponders (+0.05), as measured with a food frequency assessment (adjusted Spearman partial correlation coefficient = 0.14, P = .049). Compared to nonresponders, responders were more likely to be non-Hispanic (P = .01), older (P < .001), and had used the Internet more recently (P < .001). Conclusions: Messages sent by email appeared to promote a modest short-lived increase in use of a disease prevention website by some adults. Those who responded to the messages by logging on to the website may have been influenced to improve their diet. [J Med Internet Res 2007;9(3):e27]

Randomized trial on the 5 a day, the Rio Grande Way Website, a web-based program to improve fruit and vegetable consumption in rural communities.

Abstract: The Internet is a new technology for health communication in communities. The 5 a Day, the Rio Grande Way website intended to increase fruits and vegetables (FV) consumption was evaluated in a rural region enrolling 755 adults (65% Hispanic, 9% Native American, 88% female) in a randomized pretest–posttest controlled trial in 2002–2004. A total of 473 (63%) adults completed a 4-month follow-up. The change in daily intake on a food frequency questionnaire (control: mean = − 0.26 servings; intervention: mean = 0.38; estimated difference = 0.64, SD = 0.52, t(df = 416) = 1.22, p = 0.223) and single item (13.9% eating 5 + servings at pretest, 19.8% posttest for intervention; 17.4%, 13.8% for controls; odds ratio (OR) = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.07, 3.17) was in the expected direction but significant only for the single item. Website use was low and variable (logins: M = 3.3, range = 1 to 39.0; total time: M = 22.2 minutes, range = 0 to 322.7), but it was associated positively with fruit and vegetable intake (total time:...

A group card sorting methodology for developing informational Web sites

Abstract: Problems with users successfully finding information on Web sites abound. Using the card sorting methodologies can help Web site developers structure a Web site closer to how the intended users think about a topic, organize information for the Web site, and label its nodes and branches. The article provides an overview of card sorting, provides a suggested approach to card sorting and verifying the resulting labels and suggested map. To close, the article notes the emerging inconsistencies being reported in usability testing findings and then suggests turning to well-established social science methods to identify ways of enhancing card sorting. The article closes by calling for specific research to enhance card sorting methodologies.

I and i

Abstract: There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality. Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

Research methods in the social sciences

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Using the Internet to promote health behavior change: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of theoretical basis, use of behavior change techniques, and mode of delivery on efficacy

Abstract: Background: The Internet is increasingly used as a medium for the delivery of interventions designed to promote health behavior change. However, reviews of these interventions to date have not systematically identified intervention characteristics and linked these to effectiveness. Objectives: The present review sought to capitalize on recently published coding frames for assessing use of theory and behavior change techniques to investigate which characteristics of Internet-based interventions best promote health behavior change. In addition, we wanted to develop a novel coding scheme for assessing mode of delivery in Internet-based interventions and also to link different modes to effect sizes. Methods: We conducted a computerized search of the databases indexed by ISI Web of Knowledge (including BIOSIS Previews and Medline) between 2000 and 2008. Studies were included if (1) the primary components of the intervention were delivered via the Internet, (2) participants were randomly assigned to conditions, and (3) a measure of behavior related to health was taken after the intervention. Results: We found 85 studies that satisfied the inclusion criteria, providing a total sample size of 43,236 participants. On average, interventions had a statistically small but significant effect on health-related behavior (d+ = 0.16, 95% CI 0.09-0.23). More extensive use of theory was associated with increases in effect size (P = .049), and, in particular, interventions based on the theory of planned behavior tended to have substantial effects on behavior (d+ = 0.36, 95% CI 0.15-0.56). Interventions that incorporated more behavior change techniques also tended to have larger effects compared to interventions that incorporated fewer techniques (P < .001). Finally, the effectiveness of Internet-based interventions was enhanced by the use of additional methods of communicating with participants, especially the use of short message service (SMS), or text, messages. Conclusions: The review provides a framework for the development of a science of Internet-based interventions, and our findings provide a rationale for investing in more intensive theory-based interventions that incorporate multiple behavior change techniques and modes of delivery. [J Med Internet Res 2010;12(1):e4]

Persuasive System Design Does Matter: A Systematic Review of Adherence to Web-Based Interventions

Abstract: Background: Although web-based interventions for promoting health and health-related behavior can be effective, poor adherence is a common issue that needs to be addressed Technology as a means to communicate the content in web-based interventions has been neglected in research Indeed, technology is often seen as a black-box, a mere tool that has no effect or value and serves only as a vehicle to deliver intervention content In this paper we examine technology from a holistic perspective We see it as a vital and inseparable aspect of web-based interventions to help explain and understand adherence Objective: This study aims to review the literature on web-based health interventions to investigate whether intervention characteristics and persuasive design affect adherence to a web-based intervention Methods: We conducted a systematic review of studies into web-based health interventions Per intervention, intervention characteristics, persuasive technology elements and adherence were coded We performed a multiple regression analysis to investigate whether these variables could predict adherence Results: We included 101 articles on 83 interventions The typical web-based intervention is meant to be used once a week, is modular in set-up, is updated once a week, lasts for 10 weeks, includes interaction with the system and a counselor and peers on the web, includes some persuasive technology elements, and about 50% of the participants adhere to the intervention Regarding persuasive technology, we see that primary task support elements are most commonly employed (mean 29 out of a possible 70) Dialogue support and social support are less commonly employed (mean 15 and 12 out of a possible 70, respectively) When comparing the interventions of the different health care areas, we find significant differences in intended usage (p = 004), setup (p < 001), updates (p < 001), frequency of interaction with a counselor (p < 001), the system (p = 003) and peers (p = 017), duration (F = 6068, p = 004), adherence (F = 4833, p = 010) and the number of primary task support elements (F = 5631, p = 005) Our final regression model explained 55% of the variance in adherence In this model, a RCT study as opposed to an observational study, increased interaction with a counselor, more frequent intended usage, more frequent updates and more extensive employment of dialogue support significantly predicted better adherence Conclusions: Using intervention characteristics and persuasive technology elements, a substantial amount of variance in adherence can be explained Although there are differences between health care areas on intervention characteristics, health care area per se does not predict adherence Rather, the differences in technology and interaction predict adherence The results of this study can be used to make an informed decision about how to design a web-based intervention to which patients are more likely to adhere

Mobile phone‐based interventions for smoking cessation

Abstract: Most smokers start during their teens and more than 80% report having their first cigarette before their 18th birthday (Lamkin 1998). What starts as adolescent experimentation frequently leads to regular smoking; those adolescents who smoke four or more cigarettes have a high likelihood of becoming regular smokers (defined as at least one cigarette per day for 30 days) and research suggests that adolescents are also likely to understimate the addictive nature of tobacco (Lamkin 1998). However research indicates that many young smokers would like to cut down or quit smoking (Lamkin 1998). There is some evidence that smoking cessation programmes designed for adolescents are effective in the short term but not much is known about long term efficacy. Existing smoking cessation services such as advice from a health professional and nicotine replacment therapy are under-utilised by young people (Rodgers 2005). Mass media has a powerful role in influencing youth culture. Smoking behaviours, when realistically portrayed by role models or media 'stars' and associated with positive outcomes such as power, romance, social status and success, are likely to be imitated by young people. Being 'cool' is important to teenagers and if smoking is portrayed as a cool behaviour, adolescents are likely to imitate this behaviour (Watson 2003). Feeling awkward is not cool and mobile phones also provide a means for young adults to remain cool and have something to do with their hands in situations where they are alone. In this way they may be seen as an alternative to smoking. The objectives are as follows: To determine whether mobile phone-based interventions are effective at helping smokers to quit.