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Using Behavior Theories to Deliver the Military's First Peer Support, Photo-Sharing M-Health App for the Real Warriors Campaign
Informed by research and launched in September 2014, the responsive website (realstrength.realwarriors.net) and companion Real Warriors iOS app, is an online photo-sharing service and the military’s first peer support app. Accessible to everyone, the vision for the realstrength.realwarriors.net website is to be the social hub for this user-generated content campaign and display images created by app users, where users take a photo, apply a campaign key message (e.g., #REALSTRENGTH) and a branded graphic filter that includes the realwarriors.net URL. The realstrength.realwarriors.net website – which is accessible on all devices – allows users to “salute” (i.e. like) and share their peers’ photos, sort content (e.g., Most Saluted), and access 24/7 crisis resources for concerns like suicide. The website is updated regularly through user-generated photos, monthly photo challenges and cross-promotion via social media.
Mental health care is estimated to cost the world-wide economy $16 trillion by 2030. When it comes to mental health services, mobile technologies offer privacy, portability and 24/7 access to assistance – three factors which are paramount to patients seeking care. The campaign developed this peer support app to fulfill a need to facilitate access to care for psychological health concerns for military populations.
Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programsCommunication and informatics
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Social and behavioral sciences
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health
Learning Objectives:
Demonstrate the use of behavioral theories to design creative, fun experiences that resonate with target audiences, and develop effective m-health apps.
Discuss best practices for communicating positive aspects of seeking treatment for psychological health concerns, and to exemplify various, successful communication tactics that resonate with service members and their families, thus allowing them to feel comfortable to seek appropriate psychological health treatment and care.
Define the functionality of an existing website and social media presence to develop a mobile app that resonates and involves target audiences themselves as app content.
Describe integrated digital strategies between all communication channels to positively impact audience engagement.
Keyword(s): Communication Technology, Evidence-Based Practice
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been responsible for developing and managing public health education campaign Websites and digital products for numerous government clients and initiatives for more than 20 years. I was part of a team that developed a responsive website (realstrength.realwarriors.net) and companion Real Warriors iOS app, an online photo-sharing service and the militaryâs first peer support app.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.