e-Health interventions for healthy aging: a systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Digital Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Healthy aging (HA) is a significant global public health challenge.
• Electronic health (e-Health) interventions offer potential for empowering and educating adults aged 50 and over.
• e-Health can support individuals in maintaining health and well-being as they age.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the evidence on e-Health interventions for healthy aging.
• To explore how specific e-Health interventions and their characteristics impact healthy aging outcomes.
• To identify effective strategies for utilizing e-Health to promote healthy aging.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review following Cochrane Collaboration methods was conducted.
• Included studies were experimental designs published between 2000 and 2018 in English, French, Dutch, or Spanish.
• Fourteen studies were included, comparing various e-Health interventions against control groups.

Main Results:

• A meta-analysis was not feasible due to heterogeneity in study populations, interventions, and outcomes.
• e-Health interventions showed potential for improving physical activity in older adults.
• Positive effects were also observed for healthy eating, psychological outcomes (e.g., memory), and clinical parameters (e.g., blood pressure), though evidence certainty was low.

Conclusions:

• Limited evidence currently supports the effectiveness of e-Health interventions for healthy aging.
• The majority of studies suggest positive effects, particularly for physical activity enhancement.
• Further high-quality research is required to understand the full impact of e-Health on physiological, psychological, and social aspects of healthy aging.