From Persuasive Applications to Persuasive Systems in Non-communicable Disease Care - A Systematic Literature Analysis

Abstract

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of global deaths and an increasing economic burden. Adherence to treatment among NCD patients is generally low due to the demanding treatment plans (i.e., lifestyle changes). Persuasive systems are a promising approach to complement traditional NCD care to support patients in behavior change and increase long-term adherence. However, we ask ourselves: To what extent does current persuasive systems research address the need for continuous, comprehensive, and adaptive NCD care? And where are the blind spots that need to be addressed by developers and researchers of more comprehensive persuasive systems? To answer these questions, we analyzed 57 articles on persuasive systems for NCD care in a systematic literature review. Our results show clear gaps in research and design of persuasive systems. We conceptualize comprehensive persuasive systems in the Fogg-PDSA matrix combining social (e.g., medical professionals) and technical aspects (i.e., persuasive applications) of persuasion.