Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41946368›Full record

ArticleChild: care, health and development2026

Delivering Health Education to Children With Chronic Conditions: A Scoping Review and Evidence and Gap Map.

Meredith Smith, Nicole Pope, Nadine Smith, Georgina Henry, Ingrid Honan, Kiara Corso, Grace Evans, Caitlin Doyle, Adrienne Harvey

Abstract readScoping Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Child: care, health and development, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

9 authors.

Meredith SmithSchool of Allied Health and Human Performance, Adelaide University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8272-1535
Nicole PopeMurdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7617-8778
Nadine SmithKids Rehab, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
Georgina HenryCerebral Palsy Alliance Research Institute, Specialty of Child and Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7763-4656
Ingrid HonanCerebral Palsy Alliance Research Institute, Specialty of Child and Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8803-8094
Kiara CorsoNeurodisability and Rehabilitation, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Grace EvansMelbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Caitlin DoyleAustralian Centre for Precision Health, School of Public Health, Adelaide University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Adrienne HarveyNeurodisability and Rehabilitation, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.

Funding

University of Adelaide
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDevelopmentally appropriate health education is essential for children with chronic conditions and their families to support self-management and improve quality of life. Although a range of educational approaches have been reported, no comprehensive review has examined how these interventions are developed, which approaches are most used, or their outcomes. Accessibility is also critical given diverse cognitive, communication and motor abilities within paediatric populations. This review aimed to map and synthesise evidence on health education interventions for children (5-12 years) with chronic conditions.

methodsStudies reporting health education interventions for children (5-12 years) with chronic conditions were identified from MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, Scopus and Cochrane Library. Data were extracted using predefined categories, including delivery approaches aligned with Saxby's (2020) framework for paediatric supported self-management. Participant (knowledge, behaviour change or health/symptom) and implementation outcomes were extracted. Findings were synthesised using an Evidence and Gap Map to identify strengths and gaps in delivery and implementation.

resultsA total of 118 studies were included. Most interventions targeted endocrine/metabolic conditions and were delivered in hospital outpatient settings. Health professionals primarily facilitated education, though self-directed and digital facilitators are emerging. Delivery was mainly face-to-face, with increasing use of remote approaches. Over half of studies incorporated multiple recommended approaches: peer/cooperative learning (50%), story/play-based strategies (35%), caregiver involvement (27%), pictorial representation (25%) and active/experiential learning (14%). Most studies reported at least one participant outcome (86%) and nearly three-quarters reported an implementation outcome (73%). Only 14% of studies addressed accessibility considerations, predominantly for children with diverse cognitive abilities.

conclusionsThis review highlights a growing emphasis on active learning strategies to support health education for chronic conditions, moving beyond passive learning. To improve inclusivity and accessibility, interventions should prioritise individualised content, multimodal delivery and flexible approaches with meaningful involvement of children and families in intervention design and development.

Indexed as

Health EducationPatient Education as TopicChildChild, PreschoolChronic DiseaseEvidence GapsHumansQuality of LifeSelf-Managementaccessibilitychildrenchronic conditionshealth education

Identifiers

PMID41946368
PMCPMC13056421

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.