Culturally tailored mHealth interventions for chronic low back pain in rural sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review protocol

28 May 20264 min read0 viewsJournal Feed

GIST (Key Takeaways)

Introduction Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a leading global cause of disability and imposes significant social and economic burdens in rural sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer opportunities to improve CLBP management in areas with limited physiotherapy services. However, the effectiveness and cultural appropriateness of mHealth interventions for CLBP in SSA remain insufficiently evaluated.
Objective This systematic review will evaluate the effectiveness of culturally tailored mHealth interventions for adults with CLBP in rural SSA. The review will also identify barriers to implementing these interventions in rural SSA settings. Methods and analysis This protocol outlines a mixed-methods systematic review that will evaluate the effectiveness of culturally tailored mHealth interventions for CLBP and identify barriers to their implementation in rural SSA.
A comprehensive search will be conducted across multiple databases, including MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science and African Journals Online. Eligible studies will include randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental, observational and qualitative studies. Risk of bias (RoB) will be assessed using design-specific tools, including the Cochrane RoB 2 tool and Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists.