Digital Interventions for Social Participation in Adults with Long-term Physical Conditions: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Digital Health
• Social Science

Background:

• Social participation is crucial for adults with long-term physical conditions.
• Maintaining social connections can be challenging for this population.
• Digital technology offers potential solutions to bridge social gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and evaluate digital interventions designed to improve social participation.
• To identify effective digital strategies for adults managing long-term physical conditions.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO).
• Included studies focused on digital interventions for social participation in adults with long-term physical conditions.
• Data extraction covered study design, intervention characteristics, and social participation outcomes.

Main Results:

• Fourteen studies were included, employing various digital intervention types: group support, individual skill training/counseling, education/support, and mixed approaches.
• Group support interventions utilizing platforms like VR showed positive results in some studies.
• Education and support interventions demonstrated positive findings in three studies, while individual skill training showed benefits in two.

Conclusions:

• Digital interventions are feasible for enhancing social participation in adults with long-term physical conditions.
• The effectiveness of digital strategies for social participation varies, suggesting a need for tailored approaches.