Exploring mHealth applications for self-management of chronic low back pain: A survey of features and benefits

Reporting quality of published reviews of commercial and publicly available mobile health apps (mHealth app reviews): a scoping review protocol

INTRODUCTION

Reviews of commercial and publicly available smartphone (mobile) health applications (mHealth app reviews) are being undertaken and published. However, there is variation in the conduct and reporting of mHealth app reviews, with no existing reporting guidelines. Building on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we aim to develop the Consensus for APP Review Reporting Items (CAPPRRI) guidance, to support the conduct and reporting of mHealth app reviews. This scoping review of published mHealth app reviews will explore their alignment, deviation, and modification to the PRISMA 2020 items for systematic reviews and identify a list of possible items to include in CAPPRRI.

METHOD AND ANALYSIS

We are following the Joanna Briggs Institute approach and Arksey and O'Malley's five-step process. Patient and public contributors, mHealth app review, digital health research and evidence synthesis experts, healthcare professionals and a specialist librarian gave feedback on the methods. We will search SCOPUS, CINAHL Plus, AMED, EMBASE, Medline, APA PsycINFO and the ACM Digital Library for articles reporting mHealth app reviews and use a two-step screening process to identify eligible articles. Information on whether the authors have reported, or how they have modified the PRISMA 2020 items in their reporting, will be extracted. Data extraction will also include the article characteristics, protocol and registration information, review question frameworks used, information about the search and screening process, how apps have been evaluated and evidence of stakeholder engagement. This will be analysed using a content synthesis approach and presented using descriptive statistics and summaries. This protocol is registered on OSF (https://osf.io/5ahjx).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval is not required. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journal publications (shared on our project website and on the EQUATOR Network website where the CAPPRRI guidance has been registered as under development), conference presentations and blog and social media posts in lay language.

Low back pain self-management mobile applications: a systematic review on digital platforms

OBJECTIVE

To identify and analyze the features and quality of self-management support of mobile applications available in Brazil for chronic low back pain in adults.

METHOD

A systematic review on the Apple Store® and Google Play® digital platforms. The Self-Management Support Assessment Tool scale was used to assess self-management support and the Institute for Healthcare Informatics Functionality Score scale was used to assess functionality.

RESULTS

Seventeen applications were selected, which included around seven self-management skills. The applications that met the majority of self-management support skills were Pathways, Branch, Pancea, Pain Navigator, and Curable. The Curable, Branch and MoovButh applications had the highest scores, with ten features on the functionality scale.

CONCLUSION

Some applications have the potential to complement in-person treatment in terms of validity, acceptability and clinical usefulness in pain management. However, barriers such as lack of partnership between healthcare providers and patients, limited evidence-based content, social support, cultural relevance, cost, language, security and privacy can limit their sustained use. PROSPERO Registration: CRD42022382686.

The effect of self-management techniques on relevant outcomes in chronic low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Among many treatment approaches for chronic low back pain (CLBP), self-management techniques are becoming increasingly important. The aim of this paper was to (a) provide an overview of existing digital self-help interventions for CLBP and (b) examine the effect of these interventions in reducing pain intensity, pain catastrophizing and pain disability.

DATABASES AND DATA TREATMENT

Following the PRISMA guideline, a systematic literature search was conducted in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychInfo, CINAHL and Cochrane databases. We included randomized controlled trials from the last 10 years that examined the impact of digital self-management interventions on at least one of the three outcomes in adult patients with CLBP (duration ≥3 months). The meta-analysis was based on random-effects models. Standardized tools were used to assess the risk of bias (RoB) for each study and the quality of evidence for each outcome.

RESULTS

We included 12 studies (n = 1545). A small but robust and statistically significant pooled effect was found on pain intensity (g = 0.24; 95% CI [0.09, 0.40], k = 12) and pain disability (g = 0.43; 95% CI [0.27, 0.59], k = 11). The effect on pain catastrophizing was not significant (g = 0.38; 95% CI [-0.31, 1.06], k = 4). The overall effect size including all three outcomes was g = 0.33 (95% CI [0.21, 0.44], k = 27). The RoB of the included studies was mixed. The quality of evidence was moderate or high.

CONCLUSION

In summary, we were able to substantiate recent evidence that digital self-management interventions are effective in the treatment of CLBP. Given the heterogeneity of interventions, further research should aim to investigate which patients benefit most from which approach.

SIGNIFICANCE

This meta-analysis examines the effect of digital self-management techniques in patients with CLBP. The results add to the evidence that digital interventions can help patients reduce their pain intensity and disability. A minority of studies point towards the possibility that digital interventions can reduce pain catastrophizing. Future research should further explore which patients benefit most from these kinds of interventions.

Evaluating the Clinical Use and Utility of a Digital Support App for Employees With Chronic Pain Returning to Work (SWEPPE): Observational Study

BACKGROUND

The digital app SWEPPE (sustainable worker, a digital support for persons with chronic pain and their employers) was developed to improve the support of people with chronic pain in their return-to-work process after sick leave and includes functions such as the action plan, daily self-rating, self-monitoring graphs, the coach, the library, and shared information with the employer.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to describe the use of the smartphone app SWEPPE among people with chronic pain who have participated in an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program.

METHODS

This is a case study including 16 people participating in a feasibility study. The analyses were based on user data collected for 3 months. Quantitative data regarding used functions were analyzed with descriptive statistics, and qualitative data of identified needs of support from the employer were grouped into 8 categories.

RESULTS

Self-monitoring was used by all participants (median 26, IQR 8-87 daily registrations). A total of 11 (N=16, 69%) participants set a work-related goal and performed weekly evaluations of goal fulfillment and ratings of their work ability. In total, 9 (56%) participants shared information with their employer and 2 contacted the coach. A total of 15 (94%) participants identified a total of 51 support interventions from their employer. Support to adapt to work assignments and support to adapt to work posture were the 2 biggest categories. The most common type of support identified by 53% (8/15) of the participants was the opportunity to take breaks and short rests.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants used multiple SWEPPE functions, such as daily self-registration, goal setting, self-monitoring, and employer support identification. This shows the flexible nature of SWEPPE, enabling individuals to select functions that align with their needs. Additional research is required to investigate the extended use of SWEPPE and how employers use shared employee information.