Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 13, 2026
A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
Published on: January 12, 2018
Digital health interventions for hypertension management in African women: a scoping review protocol
Siddikatou Djibrilla1, Edgar Mandeng Ma Linwa2, Tim Divine Bonghaseh1
1Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
Insights
This scoping review maps digital health interventions for hypertension in African women, identifying gender-specific barriers and gaps in care. Findings will inform equitable digital health tools and policies to improve hypertension control.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Digital Health Interventions
- Gender Studies
Background:
- Hypertension disproportionately affects African women (48% prevalence) with poor control rates (13% in sub-Saharan Africa).
- Digital health platforms offer potential to improve hypertension care access in Africa's largely rural population.
- Limited research exists on gender-specific needs and barriers to digital health for hypertension in African women.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically map and synthesize evidence on digital health interventions for hypertension management in African women.
- To identify gender-based barriers, socioeconomic factors, and evidence gaps in current digital health approaches.
- To inform the development of equitable and gender-responsive digital health tools and policies for hypertension control.
Main Methods:
- A scoping review protocol adhering to PRISMA-ScR and JBI standards, registered on Open Science Framework.
- Inclusion of studies from 2010-2025 on women aged 18+ across 54 African nations, focusing on digital health programs.
- Comprehensive search across databases and grey literature using keywords: "Hypertension," "Women," "Africa," and "Digital Health."
- Data extraction using standardized forms and quality assessment (Cochrane RoB2, Newcastle-Ottawa Scale).
Main Results:
- The review will map existing digital health interventions and synthesize quantitative (blood pressure control, adherence) and qualitative (acceptability, trust) outcomes.
- Analysis will focus on gender-based barriers, socioeconomic factors, and regional variations in effectiveness.
- Evidence gaps in digital health for hypertension management in African women will be identified.
Conclusions:
- This review will provide a comprehensive overview of digital health interventions for hypertension in African women.
- Findings will guide stakeholders in developing and implementing equitable, gender-responsive digital health strategies.
- The study aims to improve hypertension control rates through evidence-based policy and tool development.
Background:
Hypertension is disproportionately prevalent in African women (48% prevalence rate vs. 34% in men) and poorly controlled (13% control rate in sub-Saharan Africa vs. 23% globally). Digital health platforms (e.g., mHealth, telehealth, telemedicine) have the potential to improve access to hypertension care in Africa, which has a mostly rural population (51.2%). However, gender experiences, needs, and barriers to care are not well researched. A scoping review is a suitable approach to conduct an initial mapping of disparate evidence and identify gaps related to digital health interventions for hypertension in African women. The scoping review can inform future research and policy.
Methods:
The protocol has been registered on Open Science Framework and adheres to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-Scoping Review Extension (PRISMA-ScR) and JBI standards. All studies from 2010 through 2025 on women 18 years and older in 54 African nations will be included and will represent significant data on digital health programs. Two reviewers will conduct a faceted search of keywords such as "Hypertension," "Women," "Africa," and "Digital Health" in various databases, grey literature, and resources such as the X platform. Data will be extracted using a standardized form, with quality assessment following Cochrane RoB2 and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale where applicable. The results will be presented by research question (such as barriers and effectiveness) and region, setting, and design of study and will be intended for sharing with scientific and public communities.
Discussion:
This review will map digital health interventions for hypertension management, systematically examining gender-based barriers and socioeconomic factors. Quantitative outcomes (e.g., blood pressure control rates, treatment adherence) and qualitative findings (e.g., themes of user acceptability, trust in digital health platforms) will be synthesized to identify evidence gaps and inform the development of equitable, gender-responsive digital health tools and policies. Study heterogeneity is a limitation, mitigated by a rigorous search.
Conclusion:
This protocol ensures transparent reporting, with amendments documented in OSF. Findings will guide stakeholders to improve hypertension control.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Hypertension V: Nursing Management
01:17The Scope of Physics
01:10Review and Preview
Percentiles are a type of fractile that partition data into...
01:13Review and Preview
01:03Nursing Interventions I: Taxonomy of Nursing Interventions
A nursing intervention is a treatment or action based on scientific concepts and knowledge from the nursing, behavioral, and physical sciences. Identifying and prioritizing nursing interventions based on the desired outcome...
01:29Nursing Interventions II: Selecting and Classifying the Nursing Interventions