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offering technical assistance (according to the Diffusion of Innovations theory, among others). Also, change methods at the individual level can be directed toward agents at higher levels (e.g., consciousness raising), in combination with change methods for higher levels (e.g., agenda setting). The protocol for designing theory- and evidence- based behaviour change interventions consists of six steps: (1) conducting a needs assessment; (2) creating a matrix of change objectives by mapping behaviours to behavioural determinants to determine intervention targets; (3) select theory-based intervention methods that can influence the determinants, and translate these to practical interventions; (4) integrate the interventions into a programme; (5) organize adoption, implementation and maintenance of the program by identifying program users and supporters and addressing their needs; (6) create an evaluation plan to measure the effect. 2. Usage of health behaviour and behaviour change theories in health informatics As computers and the internet have become more integrated into our lives, they have become increasingly attractive platforms for behaviour change interventions [3]. Many computer-based interventions simply provide information, with theory guiding what information is presented, to whom and in what ways. More complex interventions use specific data about the user to tailor the information that is presented or guide the user in making choices about their health, and thus can be considered a type of decision support system. Likewise, the goal of decision support is often to change behaviour – either the behaviour of health professionals on behalf of their patients, or the behaviour of patients themselves in self-management systems. Apparently well-designed decision support systems often go unused, or fail to deliver the expected effect on health or health care [19]. One possible path toward improving the success of systems is to draw from existing cognitive and behavioural theories, to determine how the system's advice should be presented to be most persuasive and most helpful to the end user. Examples of theory-based systems described below that provide patient- or situation-specific advice to aid in making a health-related decision are the Tailored Print Smoking Cessation system, the BresDex decision aid for women with breast cancer, and the Active Living Every Day internet-based intervention for reducing cardiovascular risk. 2.1. Smoking cessation The Tailored Print Smoking Cessation system generated person-specific advice based on the transtheoretical model. [20] The system asked the user questions based on the constructs of the transtheoretical model, including the 10 processes of change, temptations, and self-efficacy. For example, the system might ask the user to rate the statement, "I tell myself I can choose to smoke or not" (construct Self-Liberation). The system then compared the user’s answers to relevant norms and used decision rules to determine which written interventional materials were appropriate for the user. The user’s stage of change was determined, and then materials were selected to help move the user to the next stage. The person was reassessed every 3-6 months, and the system also incorporated data from previous assessments, and generated a feedback report. This report included a comparison of the individual’s progress to a set of norms derived from data on people who ultimately were and were not successful at quitting smoking, as well S.MedlockandJ.C.Wyatt /HealthBehaviourTheory inHealth Informatics152