Behavioral Therapy-Based Digital Interventions for Treating Osteoarthritis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Digital health interventions
• Rehabilitation medicine
• Behavioral therapy

Background:

• Osteoarthritis (OA) presents significant challenges including pain, functional decline, and reduced mobility.
• The increasing burden of OA necessitates innovative healthcare solutions, driving the evolution of remote rehabilitation through digital technologies.
• Digital interventions offer a scalable approach to manage OA symptoms and improve patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the efficacy of digital interventions based on behavioral therapy for patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis.
• To evaluate the impact of these digital tools on pain reduction, physical function, and self-efficacy in OA patients.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted, searching major databases (Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, Ovid, PubMed) from inception to June 2023.
• Ten RCTs involving 1895 OA patients were included, analyzing digital tools utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or behavior change techniques (BCT).

Main Results:

• Digital behavioral therapies demonstrated low-to-moderate short-term effects on pain reduction (SMD -0.20) and physical function (SMD -0.20).
• Improvements in pain self-efficacy were observed (SMD 0.22).
• Behavior change technique (BCT)-based interventions showed benefits in pain reduction and physical function, while physiotherapist involvement and web-based platforms positively impacted outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Moderate- and low-quality evidence supports the short-term effectiveness of digital behavioral therapies for improving pain, physical function, and self-efficacy in OA patients.
• The quality of affective interactions between patients and healthcare professionals may influence clinical outcomes.
• Digital interventions represent a promising avenue for remote OA management, though further research into patient-provider digital interactions is warranted.