Barriers and facilitators to digital health tool adoption for hypertension management: systematic review of qualitative studies

Objectives Digital health interventions (DHIs) show considerable promise in supporting hypertension self-management by promoting preventative care and self-monitoring. While their efficacy is increasingly evident, the long-term uptake, acceptance and sustained engagement with these tools are frequently challenged by issues such as usability, trust and varying user experiences.

This review aims to synthesise qualitative evidence to identify barriers and facilitators and the key factors that impact the adoption, acceptance and engagement with DHIs for hypertension self-management. Design Systematic review of qualitative literature using thematic analysis following Cochrane's qualitative and implementation methods guidance.

Data sources PubMed, PsycInfo, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched in February 2025. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies The searches included relevant qualitative and mixed-methods studies on the use of digital devices for hypertension management, which described the barriers and facilitators associated with these tools.

We included studies published from 2015 to 2025 to capture relevant evidence. Only studies published in English with a qualitative approach were included.