EFFECTIVENESS OF TELEMEDICINE FOR CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT IN RURAL POPULATIONS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS AND OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES
Main Article Content
Keywords
Telemedicine, chronic disease management, rural healthcare, healthcare accessibility, self-management, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, randomized controlled trials, observational studies, technology barriers, patient education.
Abstract
Background: Rural populations often face significant challenges in accessing healthcare services due to geographical isolation, limited healthcare infrastructure, and scarcity of medical professionals. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are prevalent in these regions, requiring continuous care and monitoring. Telemedicine has emerged as a potential solution to bridge this gap by enabling remote healthcare delivery through telecommunication technologies.
Objective: This systematic review aims to determine the extent of effectiveness of telemedicine interventions in care delivery for chronic diseases among rural populations. Hence, the specificity of the review is to investigate the effects that telehealth entails for health outcomes, health care use, and client satisfaction in the ambiance of rural health delivery.
Methodology: The source of information was RCTs and observational studies that can inform on telemedicine and chronic diseases in particular. In fact, the quality of studies was evaluated and necessary data on the type of telemedicine interventions, patient outcomes, and cited advantages were identified and analyzed.
Results: In the telemedicine interventions analysis the review highlighted that clients with chronic diseases had improved disease status, fewer hospitalizations, and better health-related quality of life. Moreover, the studies also showed that patients are satisfied with the telemedicine interventions. Nevertheless, factors that were cited as factors that hindered dissemination of Health included; accessibility to technology, patient involvement, and health literacy.
Conclusion: Chronic disease meant telemedicine could reduce health disparities for patients from rural areas. Although it leads to better health and happier clients, extending the impact of this tool requires addressing technological factors and engaging the patients in rural care.
References
2. Greenwood, D. A., Gee, P. M., & Fatima, S. (2017). Telehealth interventions for chronic disease management: A systematic review. American Journal of Managed Care, 23(9), 558-565.
3. Hiratsuka, V., et al. (2013). Patient and provider perspectives on using telemedicine for chronic disease management among Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native people. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 72(1), 21401.
4. Hoffer-Hawlik, M. A., et al. (2020). Leveraging telemedicine for chronic disease management in low-and middle-income countries during Covid-19. Global Heart, 15(1).
5. Kruse, C. S., Karem, P., Shifflet, K., & Vanderlinden, H. (2018). Telemedicine use in rural healthcare: A systematic review. Telemedicine Journal and e-Health, 24(5), 378-387.
6. Lan, Y. L., & Chen, H. C. (2022). Telehealth care system for chronic disease management of middle-aged and older adults in remote areas. Health Informatics Journal, 28(4).
7. Poon, J., Yang, H., & Hsieh, J. (2020). Challenges to telemedicine adoption in rural healthcare settings. Journal of Rural Health, 36(2), 234-244.
8. Williams, C., & Shang, D. (2024). Telehealth for chronic disease management among vulnerable populations. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 11(2), 1089-1096.
9. Bashshur, R. L., Shannon, G. W., Krupinski, E. A., & Grigsby, J. (2016). The empirical foundations of telemedicine interventions for chronic disease management. Telemedicine and e-Health, 22(6), 468-477. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2016.0035
10. Bennett, K., Rehkopf, D., & Shambaugh, L. (2018). Health disparities in rural areas: Implications for chronic disease management. Rural Health Quarterly, 39(3), 12-22.
11. Boulanger, L., Arcos, M., & Gasco, S. (2017). Rural health disparities in the management of chronic diseases: Implications for telehealth. Journal of Rural Health, 33(1), 11-20. https://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12235
12. Caffery, L. J., Smith, A. C., & Brand, L. (2017). Telehealth in rural and remote communities: A systematic review of literature. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 23(4), 290-298. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633X16685857
13. Coughlin, S. S., & Liang, M. (2019). Barriers and facilitators to telehealth adoption: A review of the literature. Telemedicine Journal and e-Health, 25(8), 769-776. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2018.0270
14. Dinesen, B. I., Grann, J., & Kjaer, T. (2016). Telemedicine and chronic disease management: Implications for rural healthcare delivery. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 18(9), e247. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5964
15. Greenwood, D. A., Gee, P. M., & Fatima, S. (2017). Telehealth interventions for chronic disease management: A systematic review. American Journal of Managed Care, 23(9), 558-565.
16. Kruse, C. S., Karem, P., Shifflet, K., & Vanderlinden, H. (2018). Telemedicine use in rural healthcare: A systematic review. Telemedicine Journal and e-Health, 24(5), 378-387. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2017.0154
17. Poon, J., Yang, H., & Hsieh, J. (2020). Challenges to telemedicine adoption in rural healthcare settings. Journal of Rural Health, 36(2), 234-244. https://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12339
18. Reiners, F., von der Lippe, E., & Stieglitz, S. (2020). How telemedicine contributes to chronic disease management: Insights from systematic reviews. Telemedicine and e-Health, 26(1), 5-15. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2019.0143
19. World Health Organization. (2018). Noncommunicable diseases: Key facts. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases
20. Williams, C., & Shang, D. (2024). Telehealth for chronic disease management among vulnerable populations. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 11(2), 1089-1096.
21. Jaglal, S. B., Haroun, V. A., Salbach, N. M., Hawker, G., Voth, J., Lou, W., ... & Bereket, T. (2013). Increasing access to chronic disease self-management programs in rural and remote communities using telehealth. Telemedicine and e-Health, 19(6), 467-473.
22. Hiratsuka, V., Delafield, R., Starks, H., Ambrose, A. J., & Mau, M. M. (2013). Patient and provider perspectives on using telemedicine for chronic disease management among Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native people. International journal of circumpolar health, 72(1), 21401.
23. Lan, Y. L., & Chen, H. C. (2022). Telehealth care system for chronic disease management of middle-aged and older adults in remote areas. Health Informatics Journal, 28(4), 14604582221141835.
24. Haque, M. M. A., Jahan, Y., Khair, Z., Moriyama, M., Rahman, M. M., Sarker, M. H. R., ... & Hawlader, M. D. H. (2022). Perceptions about telemedicine among populations with chronic diseases amid COVID-19: data from a cross-sectional survey. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(7), 4250.
25. Jordan, D. N., Jessen, C. M., & Ferucci, E. D. (2021). Views of patients and providers on the use of telemedicine for chronic disease specialty care in the Alaska native population. Telemedicine and e-Health, 27(1), 82-89.
26. Hoffer-Hawlik, M. A., Moran, A. E., Burka, D., Kaur, P., Cai, J., Frieden, T. R., & Gupta, R. (2020). Leveraging telemedicine for chronic disease management in low-and middle-income countries during Covid-19. Global heart, 15(1).
27. Hoffer-Hawlik, M. A., Moran, A. E., Burka, D., Kaur, P., Cai, J., Frieden, T. R., & Gupta, R. (2020). Leveraging telemedicine for chronic disease management in low-and middle-income countries during Covid-19. Global heart, 15(1).
28. Horrell, L. N., Hayes, S., Herbert, L. B., MacTurk, K., Lawhon, L., Valle, C. G., & Bhowmick, A. (2021). Telemedicine use and health-related concerns of patients with chronic conditions during COVID-19: survey of members of online health communities. Journal of medical Internet research, 23(2), e23795.
Article Sidebar
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
All articles published in JPTCP are licensed under Copyright Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Wajid Nazir
Department of Family Medicine, Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
Naureen Saleem
Department of Family Medicine, Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
Namra Tanvir
Resident Medicine (FCPS), CMH Muzaffarabad, AJK, Pakistan
Shoaib Malik
Department of Family Medicine, Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
Misbah Farooq Awan
House Officer, CMH, Muzaffarabad, AJK, Pakistan
Abdussalam
Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
Hafsa Syeda Shuaib
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Kamel J. K. Walwil
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Jumana Abdelrahman Diab
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland