Table 2.
Characteristics of participants and study interventions (studies 1-11).
| Study | CPa condition | Participants, N, intervention group (IG), n (%), control group (CG), n (%); age (years), mean (SD); gender (% female) | Intervention | Total study duration (weeks); follow-up period | |
| mHealthb | Control | ||||
| Alasfour and Almarwani [33] | Knee OAc | N=40; 54.40 (4.33); 100% IG: n=20; 53.65 (3.96); 100% CG: n=20; 55.15 (4.64); 100% |
Home-based PAd program (lower-limb-strengthening exercises) with the My Dear Knee app; also, exercise adherence and completed sessions recorded by the app | Home-based PA program through paper handouts | 6; 3rd and 6th weeks |
| Arfaei Chitkar et al [34] | Knee OA | N=60; 58.17 (7.55); 100% IG: n=31; 57.84 (8.63); 100% CG: n=29; 58.52 (6.33); 100% |
Educational content through the mobile app; usual medical care | Educational content without the app; usual medical care | 8; 2nd month |
| Pelle [35] | Knee or hip OA | N=427 IG: n=214; 62.1 (7.7); 68.7% CG: n=213; 62.1 (7.0); 74.7% |
Home-based PA program and education content provided by the Dr. Bart app, with also PA-related goals, self-monitoring, and motivational reminders | Usual care with no active treatment | 24; 3rd and 6th months |
| Rafferty et al [36] | IBSe | N=25 IG: n=14; 27.2 (9.5); 86% CG: n=11; 25.7 (11.9); 91% |
Nutrition information and recommendations based on patient-specific and individualized diet plans through the Heali app; standard dietary education materials (online) | Standard dietary education materials (online) | 4; 1st month |
| Skrepnik et al [37] | Knee OA | N=211; 62.6 (9.4); 50.2% IG: n=107; 61.6 (9.5); 55.1% CG: n=104; 63.6 (9.3); 45.2% |
Monitoring pain, PA parameters, and mood data with feedback and motivational messages from the OA GO app; standard-of-care instructions and education; unblinded wearable device | Standard-of-care instructions and education; blinded wearable device | 12; 1 week, 1st and 3rd months |
| Suso-Ribera et al [38] | CMSPf | N=165; 52.1 (11.2); 73.8% IG-1: 53 IG-2: 56 CG: 56 |
IG-1: monitoring pain-related outcomes using the Pain Monitor app with alarms and usual care; IG-2: monitoring pain-related outcomes with the Pain Monitor app without alarms and usual care | Usual care | 4; 1st month |
| Thiengwittayaporn et al [39] | Knee OA | N=82 IG: n=42; 62.2 (6.8); 85.7% CG: n=40; 63.0 (9.7); 92.5% |
Home-based PA program and education, and disease monitoring (symptoms and stages) with the Rak Kao app | Standard education and exercise instructions through handouts | 4; 1st month |
| Thongtipmak et al [40] | CNPg | N=100 IG: n=50; 22.86 (1.99); 82% CG: n=50; 22.68 (2.23); 76% |
Home-based PA program and monitoring pain level before and after exercises with the NeckProtector app | Rest | Same day |
| Yang et al [41] | CLBPh | N=8 IG: n=5; 35 (10.93); 20% CG: n=3; 50.33 (9.29); 100% |
Monitoring pain intensity and activity levels using the Pain Care app; self-management program based on individualized exercises and physiotherapy treatment | Only physiotherapy treatment | 4; 2nd and 4th weeks |
| Yuan et al [42] | FMi | N=40 IG: n=20; 43.3 (8.4); 95% CG: n=20; 42.1 (11.8); 100% |
Self-care management based on education, home-based PA, and sleep hygiene and relaxation techniques using the ProFibro app, with also self-monitoring disease impact according to FIQ domains; usual medical care | Traditional paper book of similar content; usual medical care | 6; 6th week |
| Fanning et al [43] | CP | N=28; 70.21 (5.22); 78.6% IG: n=15; 70.12 (5.43); 86.7% CG: n=13; 70.32 (5.20); 69.2% |
Monitoring PA-related goals, CBTj, and mindfulness-based relapse prevention using the Mobile Health Intervention to Reduce Pain and Improve Health [MORPH] Companion and Fitbit apps | Waitlist | 12; 3rd month |
aCP: chronic pain.
bmHealth: mobile health.
cOA: osteoarthritis.
dPA: physical activity.
eIBS: irritable bowel syndrome.
fCMSP: chronic musculoskeletal pain.
gCNP: chronic neck pain.
hCLBP: chronic low back pain.
iFM: fibromyalgia.
jCBT: cognitive behavioral therapy.