A data extraction template for the behaviour change intervention ontology

Abstract

Background

The Behaviour Change Intervention Ontology (BCIO) aims to improve the clarity, completeness and consistency of reporting within intervention descriptions and evidence synthesis. However, a recommended method for transparently annotating intervention evaluation reports using the BCIO does not currently exist. This study aimed to develop a data extraction template for annotating using the BCIO.

Methods

The BCIO data extraction template was developed in four stages: i) scoping review of papers citing component ontologies within the BCIO, ii) development of a draft template, iii) piloting and revising the template, and iv) dissemination and maintenance of the template.

Results

A prototype data extraction template using Microsoft Excel was developed based on BCIO annotations from 14 papers. The ‘BCIO data extraction template v1’ was produced following piloting and revision, incorporating a facility for user feedback.

Discussion

This data extraction template provides a single, accessible resource to extract all necessary characteristics of behaviour change intervention scenarios. It can be used to annotate the presence of BCIO entities for evidence synthesis, including systematic reviews. In the future, we will update this template based on feedback from the community, additions of newly published ontologies within the BCIO, and revisions to existing ontologies.

Plain language summary

Behaviour change interventions are often reported in an inconsistent and incomplete manner in study reports. This makes it difficult to build knowledge and predict outcomes. There is a need for a shared language to describe behaviour change interventions. This need was met using ‘ontologies’, which are classification systems that represent knowledge in a standardised way. The Behaviour Change Intervention Ontology (BCIO) has been developed to describe the different aspects of interventions in a way that is precise enough for computers as well as humans to ‘read’ study findings. The BCIO can be used to extract information from study reports for evidence synthesis, such as systematic literature reviews. To meet the need for a resource for annotating (coding) study reports according to the BCIO, we developed a data extraction template. The template was developed in four stages: i) reviewing existing papers using the BCIO, ii) development of a draft template, iii) piloting and revising the template, and iv) dissemination and maintenance of the template. The resulting resource is an accessible, easy-to-use template to assist with specifying the content of published papers reporting interventions and their evaluation. The template will be updated based on user feedback and future revisions to the BCIO.