Telehealth interventions for patients with noncommunicable diseases in Africa: A scoping review protocol

Telehealth is a system that makes use of information and technology communication to ensure that patients get access to healthcare services regardless of the distance and shortage of healthcare professionals. Telehealth is a strategy that can be applied to complement the management of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in Africa. This review therefore aims to: (1) collate the available data about the process and outcomes of telehealth programs implemented in Africa and (2) explore the challenges experienced with the implementation of telehealth in the African context.

The scoping review will summarize the information by accessing the following databases; Ebscohost (CINAHL + MEDLINE, PsychINFO, Web of Science and PubMED), Scopus and google scholar. The databases will be searched using specific search terms that are aligned with the aim of the review. Studies will be included if they investigated the telehealth interventions for NCDs in Africa. A screening process that includes screening of the abstracts and full text will identify the studies to be included. A data capture template designed specifically for the study will be used to capture data. The findings will be presented descriptively and thematically.

This study underscores the increasing opportunity that exists for telehealth interventions to address NCDs, in resource-constrained environments. The intended review could confirm the potential of digital health to increase access to care, promote patient self-management, and engage health systems where resources are lacking.