Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39883928›Full record

SynthesisJournal of medical Internet research2025

Families' Experiences With Family-Focused Web-Based Interventions for Improving Health: Qualitative Systematic Literature Review.

Diana Zhu, Aimee L Dordevic, Zoe E Davidson, Simone Gibson

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of medical Internet research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. 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

4 authors.

Diana ZhuDepartment of Nutrition Dietetics and Food, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID 0009-0000-2111-112X
Aimee L DordevicDepartment of Nutrition Dietetics and Food, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-0405-3164
Zoe E DavidsonDepartment of Nutrition Dietetics and Food, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-6955-7689
Simone GibsonSchool of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-0008-9020

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundeHealth interventions can favorably impact health outcomes and encourage health-promoting behaviors in children. More insight is needed from the perspective of children and their families regarding eHealth interventions, including features influencing program effectiveness.

objectiveThis review aimed to explore families' experiences with family-focused web-based interventions for improving health.

methodsFive databases were searched on October 26, 2022-updated on October 24, 2023-for studies reporting qualitative data on participating children or their caregivers' experiences with web-based programs. Study identification was performed in duplicate and studies were independently appraised for quality. Thematic synthesis was undertaken on qualitative data extracted from the results section of each included article.

resultsOf 5524 articles identified, 28 articles were included. The studies examined the experiences of school-aged children (aged 5-18 years) and their caregivers (mostly mothers) with 26 web-based interventions that were developed to manage 17 different health conditions or influence health-supporting behaviors. Six themes were identified on families' experiences: connecting with others, agency of learning, program reputability or credibility, program flexibility, meeting participants' needs regarding program content or delivery, and impact on lifestyle.

conclusionsFamilies positively perceived family-focused web-based interventions, finding value in quality connections and experiencing social support; intervention features aligned with behavioral and self-management principles. Key considerations were highlighted for program developers and health care professionals on ways to adapt eHealth elements to meet families' health-related needs. Continued research examining families' experiences with eHealth interventions is needed, including the experiences of families from diverse populations and distinguishing the perspectives of children, their caregivers, and other family members, to inform the expansion of family-focused eHealth interventions in health care systems.

trial registrationPROSPERO CRD42022363874; https://tinyurl.com/3xxa8enz.

Indexed as

FamilyHealth PromotionInternetInternet-Based InterventionAdolescentCaregiversChildChild, PreschoolHumansQualitative ResearchSocial SupportTelemedicineeHealthfamily basedinternetmobile phonepediatric healthqualitative

Identifiers

PMID39883928
PMCPMC11826954

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.