ArticleHealth expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy2024
Barriers and facilitators to engaging with a digital self-management programme for painful distal upper limb musculoskeletal disorders: A qualitative exploratory study.
Article in Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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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.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The effectiveness of telerehabilitation in upper limb musculoskeletal disorders: a systematic review.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2026Pooled it
- BACK-on-LINEEuropean journal of pain (London, England) · 2026Article
- Exploring digital health technology in rheumatology: a scoping review on benefits, challenges, and future possibilities.EULAR rheumatology open · 2026Review
- A Qualitative Evaluation of Two Electronic-Rehabilitation Programmes for Managing Persistent Knee Pain.Musculoskeletal care · 2025Article
- Barriers and facilitators to engaging with a digital self-management programme for painful distal upper limb musculoskeletal disorders: A qualitative exploratory study.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
introductionPeople living with a painful distal upper limb musculoskeletal disorder (DUL-MSD) often experience pain, difficulty in doing everyday tasks and a reduced quality of life. Currently, there are challenges in the treatment of DUL-MSDs, highlighting the need to develop innovative approaches to rehabilitation. A potential solution is to develop and implement a digital self-management rehabilitation programme focussing on optimising recovery, improving function and reducing pain. Before developing this programme, we aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators to using a digital health intervention (DHI) for self-management of DUL-MSDs.
objectiveThis study aimed to investigate the potential barriers and facilitators to using a DHI with people living with DUL-MSDs and healthcare professionals (HCPs).
methodsA qualitative exploratory study was carried out with purposely selected participants consisting of 15 participants with DUL-MSDs and 13 HCPs. Three focus groups (FGs) and four semistructured interviews with DUL-MSD participants and semistructured interviews with 13 HCPs were conducted. FGs and interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
resultsTo address challenges in the care and management of DUL-MSDs, both HCPs and people living with a DUL-MSD welcomed the development of a DHI. This study identified several barriers and facilitators that would influence engagement with a digital intervention. Findings suggest that in developing a DHI, attention needs to be paid to digital design features, usability, tailoring, personalisation and consideration of how well usual care could be replicated digitally without direct HCP involvement.
conclusionThe identified digital design features of importance to participants will inform the design of a digital self-management rehabilitation programme for people living with DUL-MSDs. Addressing the barriers and facilitators to engagement with a DHI is essential in ensuring its relevance and acceptability to those who will use it. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) was integral throughout the study. PPIE members contributed to the development and planning of this study, checked and confirmed the relevance of the findings and are involved in the dissemination plans.
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