Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing Digital Health Technologies for Remote Management of NCDs in Rural Areas:...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Implementation Science
• Rural Health

Background:

• Digital health technologies (DHTs) offer potential for enhancing care delivery and patient outcomes for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
• Implementation of DHTs in rural settings faces challenges, with limited understanding of factors influencing their uptake.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify barriers and facilitators impacting the implementation and use of DHTs for remote management of NCDs in rural populations.
• To conduct a mixed-methods systematic review to synthesize evidence on DHTs in rural NCD care.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of Medline, Embase, and CINAHL databases.
• Mixed-methods systematic review following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology.
• Categorization of barriers and facilitators using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).

Main Results:

• Fourteen studies were included, predominantly from high-income countries.
• Key barriers: technical issues, poor internet, financial and workforce constraints.
• Key facilitators: user-friendly design, leadership, teamwork, and communication.

Conclusions:

• DHTs show promise for NCD care in rural areas but are limited by structural inequities like broadband access and workforce shortages.
• Implications for research, policy, and practice include the need for context-sensitive evaluations, sustainable financing, and organizational readiness.