Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29942631›Full record

ReviewDigital health

The impact of digital health interventions on health-related outcomes in the workplace: A systematic review.

Ana Howarth, Jose Quesada, Jessica Silva, Stephanie Judycki, Peter R Mills

2 registry-linked trialsAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Digital health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 100 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
100citing papers in PubMed, 10 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05846087 nacompletednot on this map

Mobile App-delivered Sleep Therapy (SleepFix) for Individuals With Chronic Low Back Pain and Insomnia: a Randomized Controlled Trial With Internal Pilot Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorWoolcock Institute of Medical ResearchRan2023 to 2025Enrolled106ConditionsChronic Low-back Pain, InsomniaArmssleep retraining therapy, sleep health education modules
NCT07199387 nanot yet recruitingnot on this map

PeerOnCall: A Cluster Randomized Trial of a Peer Support Mobile Health Platform in Canadian Fire Service Organizations

TypeinterventionalSponsorMcMaster UniversityRan2025 to 2027Enrolled2,000ConditionsFirefightersArmsApp Users (Structured Implementation), App Users (Standard Implementation)
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

100 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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40 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Ana HowarthCigna, Global Well-being Solutions Ltd, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-3519-0989
Jose QuesadaCigna Health and Life Insurance Company, USA.
Jessica SilvaCigna, Global Well-being Solutions Ltd, UK.
Stephanie JudyckiCigna, Global Well-being Solutions Ltd, UK.
Peter R MillsCigna, Global Well-being Solutions Ltd, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe impact of employee health on productivity in the workplace is generally evidenced through absenteeism and presenteeism. Multicomponent worksite health programmes, with significant online elements, have gained in popularity over the last two decades, due in part to their scalability and low cost of implementation. However, little is known about the impact of digital-only interventions on health-related outcomes in employee groups. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the impact of pure digital health interventions in the workplace on health-related outcomes.

methodsMultiple databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed and PsycINFO, were used to review the literature using PRISMA guidelines.

resultsOf 1345 records screened, 22 randomized controlled trial studies were found to be eligible. Although there was a high level of heterogeneity across these studies, significant improvements were found for a broad range of outcomes such as sleep, mental health, sedentary behaviours and physical activity levels. Standardized measures were not always used to quantify intervention impact. All but one study resulted in at least one significantly improved health-related outcome, but attrition rates ranged widely, suggesting sustaining engagement was an issue. Risk of bias assessment was low for one-third of the studies and unclear for the remaining ones.

conclusionsThis review found modest evidence that digital-only interventions have a positive impact on health-related outcomes in the workplace. High heterogeneity impacted the ability to confirm what interventions might work best for which health outcomes, although less complex health outcomes appeared to be more likely to be impacted. A focus on engagement along with the use of standardized measures and reporting of active intervention components would be helpful in future evaluations.

Indexed as

Digital healthe-healthhealth promotioninternet-based interventionsoccupational healthsystematic reviewworkplace interventionsworkplace well-being

Identifiers

PMID29942631
PMCPMC6016571

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.