Introduction 13 1 with low-SEP groups. Practical guides are essential because they act as roadmaps for eHealth professionals, condensing complex research findings into actionable steps that can be easily implemented, particularly when resources are constrained (Graham et al., 2006). Indeed, there are existing practical guides for eHealth development (van GemertPijnen et al., 2011) and for participatory design more broadly (Sanders et al., 2010; Spinuzzi, 2016), but none of these resources focus on the complexities of engaging specifically with low-SEP groups in such a process. Some guides do target low-SEP groups specifically, yet they often limit their scope by focusing primarily on addressing literacy-related barriers. This involves addressing digital literacy by designing more userfriendly and understandable interfaces and addressing traditional literacy by ensuring that the information provided is easily comprehensible (Choi & Dinitto, 2013). However, successful behavior change goes beyond these surface-level factors; it also requires tackling the more fundamental elements that underpin motivation—such as contextual (e.g., accessibility, social support, and influences), psychological (e.g., self-efficacy, perceived barriers), and emotional (e.g., stressful life situations) factors. 1.3 Aim of dissertation The equity challenges currently experienced during the design of eHealth interventions result in these interventions often being designed as a one-size-fits-all solution, which unintentionally favors those with high health literacy, motivation, and willingness to engage with the intervention and access to technology and the internet. However, this approach leaves out those who may need eHealth interventions the most: people with a low SEP. This leads to the possibility that eHealth interventions are not helping to address health disparities but instead exacerbate them. Therefore, there is a pressing need for a comprehensive and practical tool that integrates the known barriers and facilitators regarding inclusive eHealth design to inform the design of eHealth interventions aligned with the needs of low-SEP groups. The main aim of this dissertation was to develop a practically applicable knowledge tool that aligns with the needs of professionals and helps to facilitate the designing of eHealth interventions tailored to people with a low SEP. To accomplish this aim, this thesis consists of several studies that relate to each other based on the knowledge-to-action (KTA) framework (Graham et al., 2006). This framework is often used in healthcare research to move knowledge into actionable strategies. It involves the three dynamically interacting concepts of knowledge inquiry, the development of a knowledge tool, and action cycles (Figure 1.1). To facilitate the main aim of developing the knowledge tool, we address two additional aims. First, we engaged in knowledge inquiry by addressing critical knowledge
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