Digital Health Interventions Are Effective for Irritable Bowel Syndrome Self-Management: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Digital Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent condition requiring effective self-management strategies.
• Digital health interventions (DHIs) offer a potential avenue for patient self-care, yet research on IBS-specific DHIs is limited.
• This review systematically examines existing DHIs for IBS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize DHIs developed for IBS patients.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of these DHIs on various health outcomes.
• To assess the feasibility of implementing DHIs in IBS self-management.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review was conducted across multiple databases (Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL) up to May 2024.
• Included studies were experimental and observational, focusing on DHIs for IBS patients.
• Data extraction covered DHI characteristics, effectiveness (symptoms, quality of life, psychological indices, empowerment), and feasibility (adherence, usability, satisfaction).

Main Results:

• 13 studies of DHIs involving 21,510 participants were included, demonstrating good average quality.
• DHIs focused on education, diet, brain-gut skills, physiological support, health monitoring, and community engagement.
• Most DHIs reported significant improvements in effectiveness outcomes, with brain-gut skills and health monitoring DHIs showing particular promise, though feasibility remains uncertain.

Conclusions:

• DHIs hold significant potential for supporting IBS patients and enhancing their health outcomes.
• Further research is essential to assess the feasibility, safety, cost-effectiveness, and patient experience of DHIs for IBS.
• Continued investigation is needed to optimize the use and impact of DHIs in IBS self-management.