Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39711739›Full record

ReviewDigital health

The effectiveness of digital tools to maintain physical activity among people with a long-term condition(s): A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Sarah Howes, Aoife Stephenson, Chloe Grimmett, Rob Argent, Paul Clarkson, Ameera Khan, Emily Lait, Leah Rose McDonough, Giorgia Tanner, Suzanne M McDonough

Abstract readReview
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. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
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

10 authors.

Sarah HowesSchool of Health Sciences, Ulster University, Londonderry, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9314-5281
Aoife StephensonSchool of Physiotherapy, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.
Chloe GrimmettSchool of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, UK.
Rob ArgentSchool of Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.
Paul ClarksonSchool of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5955-5711
Ameera KhanSchool of Physiotherapy, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.
Emily LaitSchool of Physiotherapy, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.
Leah Rose McDonoughSchool of Physiotherapy, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.
Giorgia TannerSchool of Physiotherapy, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.
Suzanne M McDonoughSchool of Physiotherapy, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3758-3302

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: Given the well-accepted health benefits, it is important to identify scalable ways to support people with long-term conditions (LTCs) to remain physically active. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effect of digital tools on the maintenance of physical activity (PA) amongst this population. Methods: Electronic databases were searched for randomised controlled trials investigating the effect of digital tools on PA maintenance at least three months post-intervention compared with a non-digital control in participants with long-term conditions. Meta-analyses were conducted at post-intervention and longest maintenance timepoint; subgroup analyses explored the effect of the type of control. Prospero registration: CRD42022299967. Results: Twenty-three studies ( Conclusions: This review provides preliminary evidence that interventions incorporating digital tools may be more effective than minimal controls at supporting people with LTCs to maintain PA. Given the quality of the evidence, confidence in these findings is very low and may change with future research.

Indexed as

device based and self-report physical activity outcomesdigital healthmultiple long-term conditionsPhysical activity maintenance

Identifiers

PMID39711739
PMCPMC11660288

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

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.