An Ontology to Support Behaviour Change Interventions: Barriers to Activity

Abstract

A complete view of health not only considers the presence or absence of disease, illness or disability, but also considers behavioural health. There are pharmacological interventions prescribed by specialists (e.g. doctors), that help the body resist a certain disease, such as inhalers for asthma sufferers. In a similar vein, there are behavioural interventions (non-pharmacological) that are aimed at influencing behaviour, with the goal to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. However behavioural interventions are often {it ad hoc} and not well described, in terms of goals, actions and appropriateness to specific situations, and not always adhering to the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) statement about standard in reporting and publishing interventions of behaviour change. To address this issue, a collaborative effort among 400 researchers, from different disciplines, and 12 Countries has resulted in the publication of a compendium of Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs). The compendium includes 93 interventions to change human behaviour, with clear definitions and examples, at times including mechanisms of action and modes of delivery. This thesis builds on the same effort, and expands it in two ways, one conceptual and one computational. From the conceptual point of view, we concentrate on a specific issue around successful BCTs, that is giving explicit consideration to barriers that might prevent the success of the intervention. From the computational point of view, we create a formal ontology of the barrier model, which can be used to support health behaviour applications in general, and BCTs in particular. In order to give focus to the effort, we concentrate on barriers to physical activity for individuals affected by Type 2 diabetes (T2D). The work includes (i) identification of assumptions within the barriers domain knowledge and modelling of such barriers explicitly within the ontology; and (ii) extraction and communication of constructive insights such as advice (as suggestions for appropriate physical activity) to overcome barrier challenges. By following an established process of ontology development, this work constitutes also a walk-through case study in building an ontology from scratch, which expands on each phase of the process, including the evaluation stage.