Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40195979›Full record

ArticleResearch square2025

Opportunities and challenges of integrating digital health into medical education curricula: A scoping review.

Wilson Tumuhimbise, Stefanie Theuring, Esther C Atukunda, R Godfrey Mugyenyi, Doreen Babirye, Fred Kaggwa, Rogers Mwavu, Kizza Gerald, Rebecca Nuwematsiko, Irene Wanyana and 9 more

Abstract readPreprint
In one paragraph

Article in Research square, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

19 authors.

Wilson TumuhimbiseFaculty of Computing and Informatics, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara Uganda; African Digital Health Research Advancement Center, Entebbe, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0003-1895-9255
Stefanie TheuringInstitute of International Health, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Germany.
Esther C AtukundaFaculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara Uganda.
R Godfrey MugyenyiFaculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara Uganda.
Doreen BabiryeEntebbe Regional Referral Hospital, Entebbe, Uganda.
Fred KaggwaFaculty of Computing and Informatics, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara Uganda.
Rogers MwavuFaculty of Computing and Informatics, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara Uganda.
Kizza GeraldFaculty of Computing and Informatics, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara Uganda.
Rebecca NuwematsikoSchool of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Irene WanyanaSchool of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Daniel AtwineSoar Research Foundation, Mbarara, Uganda.
Twinamasiko NelsonMedical Research Council/UVRI&LSHTM Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda.
John Paul BagalaMinistry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Richard MugahiMinistry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Geoffrey NamaraWHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, Berlin Germany.
Joseph NgonziFaculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara Uganda.
Rhoda WanyenzeSchool of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Juliet N SekandiGlobal Health Institute, University of Georgia, Georgia, USA.
Angella MusiimentaFaculty of Computing and Informatics, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara Uganda; Angels Compassion Research and Development Initiative, Mbarara Uganda.

Funding

Integration of a patient-centered mobile health intervention (Support-Moms) into routine antenatal care to improve maternal health in UgandaR01HD111692 · NICHD · MBARARA UNIVERSITY/SCIENCE/ TECHNOLOGY · PI Esther Cathyln Atukunda · 2023 to 2026
$1.9M
My Mobile Wallet: An Intervention to Support Access to Tuberculosis Care and Medication Adherence in Rural UgandaR21HD107985 · NICHD · MBARARA UNIVERSITY/SCIENCE/ TECHNOLOGY · PI MUSIIMENTA, ANGELLA · 2021 to 2022
$309k
NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD111692NICHD NIH HHS R21 HD107985
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The global strategy for digital health advocates digital health literacy in formal education and training curricula for all health professionals. However, little is known about the opportunities and challenges of integrating digital health into medical training curricula. Methods: Guided by Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review methodology, we searched the PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect scholarly databases for peer-reviewed articles published between 2014 and 2024. Data extraction was guided by the consolidated framework for implementation research. Results: Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The opportunities identified include the need for healthcare digitalization, reshaping the future daily work of healthcare professionals, decreasing students' doubts about digital health and increasing the quality of patients' care. On the other hand, a lack of infrastructure and educational materials, the dense nature of the existing curriculum, and bureaucratic tendencies were identified as challenges. The provision of consolidated funds and the establishment of dedicated digital health infrastructure, starting with elective and audited modular approaches, raising awareness, and educating stakeholders, emerged as implementation strategies for mitigating these challenges. Conclusion: Global progress toward integrating digital health literacy in formal medical training curricula remains slow. There is a need for concerted efforts and political commitment to offer guidance and moral and financial support for this integration.

Indexed as

challengesdigital healthintegrationmedical curriculaopportunities

Identifiers

PMID40195979
PMCPMC11975014

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.