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. 2024 Jun 14:58:e20230326.
doi: 10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2023-0326en. eCollection 2024.

Low back pain self-management mobile applications: a systematic review on digital platforms

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Zulamar Aguiar Cargnin  1 , Dulcinéia Ghizoni Schneider  2 , Michelle Gonçalves de Souza  3 , Mara Ambrosina de Oliveira Vargas  2 , Francis Solange Vieira Tourinho  2
Affiliations

Low back pain self-management mobile applications: a systematic review on digital platforms

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Zulamar Aguiar Cargnin et al. Rev Esc Enferm USP. .

Abstract
in English, Portuguese, Spanish

Objective: To identify and analyze the features and quality of self-management support of mobile applications available in Brazil for chronic low back pain in adults.

Method: A systematic review on the Apple Store® and Google Play® digital platforms. The Self-Management Support Assessment Tool scale was used to assess self-management support and the Institute for Healthcare Informatics Functionality Score scale was used to assess functionality.

Results: Seventeen applications were selected, which included around seven self-management skills. The applications that met the majority of self-management support skills were Pathways, Branch, Pancea, Pain Navigator, and Curable. The Curable, Branch and MoovButh applications had the highest scores, with ten features on the functionality scale.

Conclusion: Some applications have the potential to complement in-person treatment in terms of validity, acceptability and clinical usefulness in pain management. However, barriers such as lack of partnership between healthcare providers and patients, limited evidence-based content, social support, cultural relevance, cost, language, security and privacy can limit their sustained use. PROSPERO Registration: CRD42022382686.

Objetivo:: Identificar e analisar os recursos e a qualidade do suporte de autogerenciamento dos aplicativos móveis disponíveis no Brasil para dor lombar crônica em adultos.

Método:: Revisão sistemática nas plataformas digitais Apple Store ® e Google Play ®. Utilizaram-se a escala Self-Management Support Assessment Tool para avaliar o suporte ao autogerenciamento e a escala Institute for Healthcare Informatics Functionality Score para avaliar a funcionalidade.

Resultados:: Foram selecionados 17 aplicativos, que incluíram cerca de sete habilidades de autogerenciamento. Os aplicativos que atendiam à maioria das habilidades de suporte ao autogerenciamento foram Pathways, Branch, Pancea, Pain Navigator e Curable. Os aplicativos Curable, Branch e MoovButh apresentaram as maiores pontuações, com dez funcionalidades na escala de funcionalidade.

Conclusão:: Alguns aplicativos têm potencial para complementar o tratamento presencial em termos de validade, aceitabilidade e utilidade clínica no manejo da dor. No entanto, barreiras como falta de parceria entre profissionais de saúde e pacientes, conteúdo limitado baseado em evidências, apoio social, relevância cultural, custo, idioma, segurança e privacidade podem limitar o seu uso sustentado. Registro PROSPERO: CRD42022382686.

Objetivo:: Identificar y analizar las características y la calidad del soporte de autogestión de aplicaciones móviles disponibles en Brasil para el dolor lumbar crónico en adultos.

Método:: Revisión sistemática en las plataformas digitales Apple Store ® y Google Play ® . Se utilizó la escala Self-Management Support Assessment Tool para evaluar el apoyo a la autogestión y la escala Institute for Healthcare Informatics Functionality Score para evaluar la funcionalidad.

Resultados:: Se seleccionaron 17 aplicaciones, que incluían alrededor de siete habilidades de autogestión. Las aplicaciones que cumplieron con la mayoría de las habilidades de apoyo a la autogestión fueron Pathways, Branch, Pancea, Pain Navigator y Curable. Las aplicaciones Curable, Branch y MoovButh obtuvieron las puntuaciones más altas, con diez características en la escala de funcionalidad.

Conclusión:: Algunas aplicaciones tienen potencial para complementar el tratamiento presencial en términos de validez, aceptabilidad y utilidad clínica en el manejo del dolor. Sin embargo, barreras como la falta de asociación entre los profesionales de la salud y los pacientes, el contenido limitado basado en evidencia, el apoyo social, la relevancia cultural, el costo, el idioma, la seguridad y la privacidad pueden limitar su uso sostenido. Registro PROSPERO: CRD42022382686.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Flowchart of selected applications – Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, 2023 (n = 17).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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