Marc Mitchell, PhD

Associate Professor

Contact Information

marc.mitchell@uwo.ca 
@marcmitch_phd
LinkedIn
Google Scholar
ORCID: 000-0002-2772-9614

Education

  • PhD (Toronto)
  • MSc (Victoria)
  • BSc/BPHE (Queen's)

Graduate Program Supervision

  • Psychological Basis of Kinesiology MA | PhD
  • Integrative Biosciences MSc | PhD

Research In Profile

My research program spans across the broader study of behavioural science and digital health. Much of my research has been in response to calls from government and industry to incorporate digital solutions as part of a broad “system-based” approach to promoting health behaviours (e.g., physical activity) and reducing the burden of preventable diseases. My research focuses on combining insights from behavioural science with scalable technologies and strategic partnerships to improve the health of populations.

Featured Publications and Projects

Chapters

  • Rondina, R. and M. Mitchell (2022). Wellness Rewarded: A “how to” on designing behavioral-science informed financial health incentives In: D. Soman and N. Mazar (Eds), Behavioural Science in the Wild (P. 219-229). University of Toronto Press.

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals

  • Spilsbury, S., Wilk, P., Taylor, C., Prapavessis, H. & M. Mitchell. (2023) Reduction of financial health incentives and changes in physical activity. Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open. 6(11): 1-12, e2342663.
  • Lau, E, Mitchell, M & G. Faulkner. (2022). Long-term usage of a commercial mHealth app: A ‘multiple lives’ perspective. Frontiers in Public Health, 10: 1-15, 914433. 
  • Rondina, R., Hong, M., Sarma, S. & M. Mitchell. (2021). Is it worth it? Cost-effectiveness analysis of a commercial physical activity app. BMC Public Health. 21 (1950), 1-10.
  • Pearson, E., Prapavessis, H., Higgins, C., Petrella, R. & M. Mitchell. (2020). Adding team-based financial incentives to the Carrot Rewards physical activity app increases daily step count on a population scale: A 24-week matched case-control study. International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity. 17 (139): 1-10.
  • Mitchell, M, Orstad, S, Biswas, A, Oh, P, Jay, M, Pakosh, M & G. Faulkner. (2019). Financial incentives and physical activity in adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 54: 1259-1268.

Visit Google Scholar for a comprehensive list of publications.

Current Grants and Research Projects

  • Research partnership with WayBetter Inc. (SSHRC Partnership Development Grant.
    Project title: “Walkin’ Wager”: Applying behavioural economics in the examination and promotion of physical activity app engagement.
  • Research partnership with Telus Health Inc. Evaluation funded by SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant.
    Project title: The Behavioural Economics for Engagement (“BEE”) Study: Applying behavioural economics in the examination and promotion of physical activity app engagement.
  • Research partnership with Caterpillar Health Inc. Funding led by Jensen Fund Partners LLP. Evaluation funded by Western Strategic Support for CIHR Success (Seed).
    Project title: Quasi-experimental evaluation of the incentive-based Caterpillar mHealth app.

Featured Graduate Student Projects

Examining the long-term effects of a financial incentive-based mHealth app on physical activity: A 24-month quasi-experimental study.

  • Nguyen, Lisa (2023). MSc, Kinesiology.

Examining mobile health app engagement in a North American employee population: A one-year longitudinal observational study

  • Ratanshi, Nabil (2022). MSc, Kinesiology.

Examining the feasibility of delivering a multi-component virtual lifestyle medicine program for adults with type 2 diabetes

  • Hiemstra, Madison (2021). MSc, Kinesiology.

Visit Scholarship@Western for a list of completed student theses and dissertations in the repository.

Graduate Student Opportunities

Accumulating evidence suggests deficiencies in the way digital health interventions are designed and evaluated. For example, health and fitness apps are usually not grounded in behavioural science nor are they rigorously tested. By leveraging strategic partnerships, my overarching research objective in the next five years will be to embed behavioural science into the design and evaluation of cutting-edge digital health interventions. My program of research can be categorized into three broad themes:

  • Theme #1: Sustainable financial health incentives
  • Theme #2: Better (eg, AI-driven) goal setting
  • Theme #3: Digital chronic disease self-management

Interested trainees (undergraduate to post-doctoral) should email Marc Mitchell with their CV and a cover letter declaring their interests and fit.

Additional Information

Media Highlights

Awards

  • Top 10% Ranking for Teaching Excellence (Western University, Faculty of Health Sciences)
  • Edge of Government Award, World Government Summit (Carrot Insights Inc.)
  • Premier’s Innovation and Excellence Award (Partnerships; Carrot Insights Inc. runner-up)
  • ‘Best Canadian App’ (Mobile Syrup; Carrot Insights Inc.)
  • ‘Top 10’ Abstract (Society of Behavioural Medicine Conference)

Professional Activities

  • Scientific Advisor, Behavioural Insights, Wellnify.ai
  • Registered Kinesiologist, College of Kinesiologists of Ontario
  • Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist, American College of Sports Medicine