Table 2.
Details and duration of the interventions used, frequency of notifying patients, and treatment phase.
| Study | Year | Country | Intervention and control | Duration | Notification frequency | Treatment phasea |
| Wang [22] | 2019 | China | Dietary preparation through the WeChat platform in the days before colonoscopy, as well as timing and usage of the bowel preparation solution; possibility to ask questions as well Control: Standard written information |
3 days | Daily | Pre |
| Timmers [10] | 2019 | Netherlands | Day-to-day information and videos through an app on pain, wound care, physiotherapy exercises, medication usage, and self-care in the early postoperative phase after total knee replacement Control: Simplified version of the app with only basic information |
28 days | Daily | Post |
| Mata [19] | 2019 | Canada | Recovery targets and educational information through an app on how to achieve them in the first days after surgery Control: Standard written instructions |
2-4 days | Daily | Post |
| Li [23] | 2019 | China | Recovery education through the WeChat platform in the days before and after surgery Control: Telephone call by nursing staff |
2-4 days | Daily | Pre/post |
| Jeon [24] | 2019 | South Korea | Self-management education through the WeChat platform in the days before colonoscopy by using videos Control: Standard written information |
3 days | Daily | Pre |
| Van der Meij [11] | 2018 | Netherlands | Personalized eHealthb program through an app for patients undergoing abdominal surgery Control: Placebo website with standard recovery advice |
3 months | Weekly | Post |
| Timmers [12] | 2018 | Netherlands | Subdivided and interactive information through an app in the week prior to the consultation with an orthopedic surgeon because of possible knee osteoarthritis Control: Standard information on website |
7 days | Daily | Pre |
| Najafi Ghezeljeh [26] | 2018 | Iran | Self-management education through the Telegram platform in the weeks after hospitalization Control: Standard written information |
6 weeks | Weekly | Post |
| Hardt [13] | 2018 | Germany | Postoperatively app-based, feedback-controlled, active muscle training program Control: Standard physiotherapy sessions |
4 days | Daily | Post |
| Alanzi [27] | 2018 | Saudi Arabia | Diabetes mellitus education through the WhatsApp platform (eg, signs and symptoms, diet, and exercises) Control: Standard written information |
8 weeks | Weekly | Post |
| Widmer [20] | 2017 | United States | Reporting of dietary and exercise habits through an app, as well as educational information on lifestyle during cardiac rehabilitation Control: Web-based platform |
3 months | Occasionally | Post |
| Asklund [16] | 2017 | Sweden | Treatment program for pelvic floor muscles and information about stress urinary incontinence and lifestyle through an app Control: Standard written instructions |
3 months | Daily | Post |
| Sharara [28] | 2017 | Lebanon | Dietary preparation through an app in the days before colonoscopy, as well as timing and usage of the bowel preparation solution Control: Standard written instructions |
4 days | Daily | Pre |
| Perry [8] | 2017 | United States | Education on medication usage and peak flow or asthma logging through an app Control: Standard written instructions |
6 months | Occasionally | Post |
| Lee [21] | 2017 | United States | Personal, tailored multimedia messages through an app to prepare women for breast cancer screening Control: Standard written instructions |
7 days | Daily | Pre |
| Lakshminarayana [15] | 2017 | United Kingdom | Reminding patients about medication usage, tracking of self-management skills, and educating patients about Parkinson disease through an app Control: Standard written instructions |
4 months | Occasionally | Post |
| Guo [25] | 2017 | China | Educational program about atrial fibrillation and how to self-manage at home Control: Standard written instructions |
3 months | Occasionally | Post |
| Van Reijnen [14] | 2017 | Netherlands | Neuromuscular training program through an app for athletes who suffered a sprained ankle Control: Standard written instructions |
2 months | Occasionally | Post |
| Kang [9] | 2016 | China | Dietary preparation through the WeChat platform in the days before colonoscopy, as well as timing and usage of the bowel preparation solution; possibility to ask questions as well Control: Standard written instructions |
4 days | Daily | Pre |
| Johnston [17] | 2016 | Sweden | Educational messages based on the data patients had registered about their medication usage Control: Simplified version of the app with only basic information |
6 months | Weekly | Post |
| Lorenzo-Zuniga [18] | 2015 | Spain | Dietary preparation through an app in the days before colonoscopy, as well as timing and usage of the bowel preparation solution Control: Standard written instructions |
4 days | Daily | Pre |
aPre: before the start of the treatment; post: after the start of the treatment.
beHealth: electronic health.