SynthesisJMIR mHealth and uHealth2024
Effectiveness of Telecare Interventions on Depression Symptoms Among Older Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Telehealth Treatments of Common Psychological Disorders: An Overview and Meta-analysis.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2026Pooled it
- The efficacy of telemedicine interventions on quality of life and depression in individuals with spinal cord injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Trial
- Postpandemic Telehealth Use: Patterns and Barriers for Older Adults in the United States, 2024.American journal of public health · 2026Article
- Article
- Association Between Telemedicine Adoption and Physician Job Satisfaction: Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- Psychosocial Predictors of Anxiety and Depression in Community-Dwelling Older Adults During a Prolonged Infectious Disease Crisis.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Voice-Based Remote Care Program for Vulnerable Older Adults in a Rural Community: Single-Arm Pilot Clinical Study.JMIR aging · 2025Article
- Quality of Life, Social Networking, and Mental Health: Generational Differentiation and Uniqueness in the Context of South Korea.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDepression is the most common psychiatric disorder among older adults. Despite the effectiveness of pharmacological and psychological therapies, many patients with late-life depression (LLD) are unable to access timely treatment. Telecare has been shown to be effective in addressing patients' psychosocial issues, while its effectiveness in serving patients with LLD remains unclear.
objectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of telecare in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms and improving quality of life (QoL) in patients with LLD.
methodsDatabases including the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and EBSCO were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effectiveness of telecare for LLD from database establishment to December 28, 2022.
resultsA total of 12 RCTs involving 1663 participants were identified in this study. The meta-analysis showed that (1) telecare significantly reduced depressive symptoms in patients with LLD compared to those in usual care (UC; standardized mean difference [SMD]=-0.46, 95% CI -0.53 to -0.38; P<.001), with the best improvement observed within 3 months of intervention (SMD=-0.72, 95% CI -1.16 to -0.28; P<.001); (2) other scales appeared more effective than the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for LLD in telecare interventions (SMD=-0.65, 95% CI -0.96 to -0.35; P<.001); (3) telecare was more effective than telephone-based interventions for remote monitoring of LLD (SMD=-1.13, 95% CI -1.51 to -0.76; P<.001); (4) the reduction of depressive symptoms was more pronounced in patients with LLD with chronic conditions (SMD=-0.67, 95% CI -0.89 to -0.44; P<.001); (5) telecare was more effective for LLD in Europe and the Americas than in other regions (SMD=-0.73, 95% CI -0.99 to -0.47; P<.001); (6) telecare significantly reduced anxiety symptoms in patients with LLD (SMD=-0.53, 95% CI -0.73 to -0.33; P=.02); and (7) there was no significant improvement in the psychological components of QoL in patients with LLD compared to those receiving UC (SMD=0.30, 95% CI 0.18-0.43; P=.80).
conclusionsTelecare is a promising modality of care for treatment, which can alleviate depression and anxiety symptoms in patients with LLD. Continued in-depth research into the effectiveness of telecare in treating depression could better identify where older patients would benefit from this intervention.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.