scholarly journals Effectiveness of Digital Counseling Environments on Anxiety, Depression, and Adherence to Treatment Among Patients Who Are Chronically Ill: Systematic Review

10.2196/30077 ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. e30077
Author(s):  
Karoliina Paalimäki-Paakki ◽  
Mari Virtanen ◽  
Anja Henner ◽  
Miika T Nieminen ◽  
Maria Kääriäinen
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Chronically Ill ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Adherence To Treatment ◽  
Clinical Indicators ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Background Patients who are chronically ill need novel patient counseling methods to support their self-care at different stages of the disease. At present, knowledge of how effective digital counseling is at managing patients’ anxiety, depression, and adherence to treatment seems to be fragmented, and the development of digital counseling will require a more comprehensive view of this subset of interventions. Objective This study aims to identify and synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness of digital counseling environments at improving anxiety, depression, and adherence to treatment among patients who are chronically ill. Methods Systematic searches of the EBSCO (CINAHL), PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were conducted in May 2019 and complemented in October 2020. The review considered studies that included adult patients aged ≥18 years with chronic diseases; interventions evaluating digital (mobile, web-based, and ubiquitous) counseling interventions; and anxiety, depression, and adherence to treatment, including clinical indicators related to adherence to treatment, as outcomes. Methodological quality was assessed using the standardized Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool for randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies. As a meta-analysis could not be conducted because of considerable heterogeneity in the reported outcomes, narrative synthesis was used to synthesize the results. Results Of the 2056 records screened, 20 (0.97%) randomized controlled trials, 4 (0.19%) pilot randomized controlled trials, and 2 (0.09%) quasi-experimental studies were included. Among the 26 included studies, 10 (38%) digital, web-based interventions yielded significantly positive effects on anxiety, depression, adherence to treatment, and the clinical indicators related to adherence to treatment, and another 18 (69%) studies reported positive, albeit statistically nonsignificant, changes among patients who were chronically ill. The results indicate that an effective digital counseling environment comprises high-quality educational materials that are enriched with multimedia elements and activities that engage the participant in self-care. Because of the methodological heterogeneity of the included studies, it is impossible to determine which type of digital intervention is the most effective for managing anxiety, depression, and adherence to treatment. Conclusions This study provides compelling evidence that digital, web-based counseling environments for patients who are chronically ill are more effective than, or at least comparable to, standard counseling methods; this suggests that digital environments could complement standard counseling.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Digital Counseling Environments on Anxiety, Depression, and Adherence to Treatment Among Patients Who Are Chronically Ill: Systematic Review (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karoliina Paalimäki-Paakki ◽  
Mari Virtanen ◽  
Anja Henner ◽  
Miika T Nieminen ◽  
Maria Kääriäinen
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Chronically Ill ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Adherence To Treatment ◽  
Clinical Indicators ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Anxiety Depression

BACKGROUND Patients who are chronically ill need novel patient counseling methods to support their self-care at different stages of the disease. At present, knowledge of how effective digital counseling is at managing patients’ anxiety, depression, and adherence to treatment seems to be fragmented, and the development of digital counseling will require a more comprehensive view of this subset of interventions. OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify and synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness of digital counseling environments at improving anxiety, depression, and adherence to treatment among patients who are chronically ill. METHODS Systematic searches of the EBSCO (CINAHL), PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were conducted in May 2019 and complemented in October 2020. The review considered studies that included adult patients aged ≥18 years with chronic diseases; interventions evaluating digital (mobile, web-based, and ubiquitous) counseling interventions; and anxiety, depression, and adherence to treatment, including clinical indicators related to adherence to treatment, as outcomes. Methodological quality was assessed using the standardized Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool for randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies. As a meta-analysis could not be conducted because of considerable heterogeneity in the reported outcomes, narrative synthesis was used to synthesize the results. RESULTS Of the 2056 records screened, 20 (0.97%) randomized controlled trials, 4 (0.19%) pilot randomized controlled trials, and 2 (0.09%) quasi-experimental studies were included. Among the 26 included studies, 10 (38%) digital, web-based interventions yielded significantly positive effects on anxiety, depression, adherence to treatment, and the clinical indicators related to adherence to treatment, and another 18 (69%) studies reported positive, albeit statistically nonsignificant, changes among patients who were chronically ill. The results indicate that an effective digital counseling environment comprises high-quality educational materials that are enriched with multimedia elements and activities that engage the participant in self-care. Because of the methodological heterogeneity of the included studies, it is impossible to determine which type of digital intervention is the most effective for managing anxiety, depression, and adherence to treatment. CONCLUSIONS This study provides compelling evidence that digital, web-based counseling environments for patients who are chronically ill are more effective than, or at least comparable to, standard counseling methods; this suggests that digital environments could complement standard counseling.

scholarly journals A systematic review of artificial intelligence chatbots for promoting physical activity, healthy diet, and weight loss

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoo Jung Oh ◽  
Jingwen Zhang ◽  
Min-Lin Fang ◽  
Yoshimi Fukuoka
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Weight Management ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Quasi Experimental

Abstract Background This systematic review aimed to evaluate AI chatbot characteristics, functions, and core conversational capacities and investigate whether AI chatbot interventions were effective in changing physical activity, healthy eating, weight management behaviors, and other related health outcomes. Methods In collaboration with a medical librarian, six electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, ACM Digital Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and IEEE) were searched to identify relevant studies. Only randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies were included. Studies were screened by two independent reviewers, and any discrepancy was resolved by a third reviewer. The National Institutes of Health quality assessment tools were used to assess risk of bias in individual studies. We applied the AI Chatbot Behavior Change Model to characterize components of chatbot interventions, including chatbot characteristics, persuasive and relational capacity, and evaluation of outcomes. Results The database search retrieved 1692 citations, and 9 studies met the inclusion criteria. Of the 9 studies, 4 were randomized controlled trials and 5 were quasi-experimental studies. Five out of the seven studies suggest chatbot interventions are promising strategies in increasing physical activity. In contrast, the number of studies focusing on changing diet and weight status was limited. Outcome assessments, however, were reported inconsistently across the studies. Eighty-nine and thirty-three percent of the studies specified a name and gender (i.e., woman) of the chatbot, respectively. Over half (56%) of the studies used a constrained chatbot (i.e., rule-based), while the remaining studies used unconstrained chatbots that resemble human-to-human communication. Conclusion Chatbots may improve physical activity, but we were not able to make definitive conclusions regarding the efficacy of chatbot interventions on physical activity, diet, and weight management/loss. Application of AI chatbots is an emerging field of research in lifestyle modification programs and is expected to grow exponentially. Thus, standardization of designing and reporting chatbot interventions is warranted in the near future. Systematic review registration International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42020216761.

The effects of aquatic therapy on mobility of individuals with neurological diseases: a systematic review

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 741-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andresa R Marinho-Buzelli ◽  
Alison M Bonnyman ◽  
Mary C Verrier
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Gait Speed ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Aquatic Therapy ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Randomized Studies ◽  
Before And After

Objective:To summarize evidence on the effects of aquatic therapy on mobility in individuals with neurological diseases.Data sources:MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CENTRAL, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, PEDro, PsycBITE and OT Seeker were searched from inception to 15 September 2014. Hand-searching of reference lists was performed in the selected studies.Review methods:The search included randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies that investigated the use of aquatic therapy and its effect on mobility of adults with neurological diseases. One reviewer screened titles and abstracts of retrieved studies from the search strategy. Two reviewers independently examined the full texts and conducted the study selection, data extraction and quality assessment. A narrative synthesis of data was applied to summarize information from included studies. The Downs and Black Scale was used to assess methodological quality.Results:A total of 116 articles were obtained for full text eligibility. Twenty studies met the specified inclusion criteria: four Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), four non-randomized studies and 12 before-and-after tests. Two RCTs (30 patients with stroke in the aquatic therapy groups), three non-randomized studies and three before-and-after studies showed “fair” evidence that aquatic therapy increases dynamic balance in participants with some neurological disorders. One RCT (seven patients with stroke in the aquatic therapy group) and two before-and-after tests (20 patients with multiple sclerosis) demonstrated “fair” evidence on improvement of gait speed after aquatic therapy.Conclusion:Our synthesis showed “fair” evidence supporting the use of aquatic therapy to improve dynamic balance and gait speed in adults with certain neurological conditions.

scholarly journals Exploring the Effects of Meditation Techniques Used by Mindfulness-Based Programs on the Cognitive, Social-Emotional, and Academic Skills of Children: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marisa G. Filipe ◽  
Sofia Magalhães ◽  
Andreia S. Veloso ◽  
Ana Filipa Costa ◽  
Lúcia Ribeiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Academic Skills ◽  
Mindfulness Practice ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Emotional Skills ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Differential Outcomes ◽  
Quasi Experimental

There is evidence for the positive impact of mindfulness in children. However, little is known about the techniques through which mindfulness practice results in differential outcomes. Therefore, this study intended to systematically review the available evidence about the efficacy of meditation techniques used by mindfulness-based programs on cognitive, socio-emotional, and academic skills of children from 6 to 12 years of age. The review was registered on the PROSPERO database, and the literature search was conducted according to PICO criteria and PRISMA guidelines. The EBSCO databases were searched, and 29 studies were eligible: nine randomized controlled trials and 20 quasi-experimental studies. All the included randomized controlled trials were rated as having a high risk of bias. Overall, the evidence for mindfulness techniques improving cognitive and socio-emotional skills was reasonably strong. Specifically, for cognitive skills, results showed that all the interventions used “body-centered meditations” and “mindful observations.” Regarding socio-emotional skills, although all the studies applied “body-centered meditations” and “mindful observations,” “affect-centered meditations” were also frequent. For academic skills, just one quasi-experimental trial found improvements, thus making it difficult to draw conclusions. Further research is crucial to evaluate the unique effects of different meditation techniques on the cognitive, social-emotional, and academic skills of children.Systematic Review Registration: Identifier: RD42019126767.

scholarly journals Improving Cardiovascular Health through Nudging Healthier Food Choices: A Systematic Review

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2520 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Tørris ◽  
Hilde Mobekk
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
The Impact

Obesity and metabolic syndrome are considered major public health problems, and their negative impact on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) is profound. Targeting modifiable risk factors such as dietary habits is therefore of great importance. Many of today’s health challenges with overweight and obesity may have behavioral roots, and traditional methods such as regulations and campaigns are often insufficient to improve dietary choices. Nudging or choice architecture might be a viable tool to influence people’s everyday choices and behaviors to better outcomes. This paper reviews the current state of the rapidly expanding number of experimental field studies that investigate the effects/associations of nudging on healthy food choices. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, where 142 citations were identified. Based on selection criteria, six randomized controlled trials and 15 non-randomized controlled trials were ultimately included. The results of this systematic review show that many of the studies included traffic-light labeling, which may be a promising strategy. The reviewed findings, however, also highlight the challenges that confront experimental studies examining the impact of nudging on diet.

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