Culturally tailored mHealth interventions for chronic low back pain in rural sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review...

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a leading global cause of disability and imposes significant social and economic burdens in rural sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer opportunities to improve CLBP management in areas with limited physiotherapy services. However, the effectiveness and cultural appropriateness of mHealth interventions for CLBP in SSA remain insufficiently evaluated.

This systematic review will evaluate the effectiveness of culturally tailored mHealth interventions for adults with CLBP in rural SSA. The review will also identify barriers to implementing these interventions in rural SSA settings.

This protocol outlines a mixed-methods systematic review that will evaluate the effectiveness of culturally tailored mHealth interventions for CLBP and identify barriers to their implementation in rural SSA. A comprehensive search will be conducted across multiple databases, including MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science and African Journals Online. Eligible studies will include randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental, observational and qualitative studies. Risk of bias (RoB) will be assessed using design-specific tools, including the Cochrane RoB 2 tool and Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists. Quantitative and qualitative findings will be synthesised using a convergent integrated approach. Where appropriate, meta-analysis will be conducted; otherwise, a structured narrative synthesis will be undertaken.

Ethical approval is not required as this study involves analysis of published data. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and engagement with relevant stakeholders to inform policy and practice.