eHealth interventions for chronic pain: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Chronic pain is a prevalent and costly condition that significantly impairs functional and emotional status as well as quality of life, representing a major cause of incapacity worldwide that requires long-term management strategies.

eHealth interventions, including telemedicine, mobile health applications, and internet-based programs, have emerged as promising approaches to improve pain management by enhancing access to education, psychological support, and self-monitoring tools. However, the efficacy of these interventions remains unclear due to variability in study designs or intervention components, differences in pain conditions (e.g., somatic or neuropathic pain), and outcome measures. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to synthesize the evidence on the efficacy of eHealth interventions for chronic non-cancer pain in adults, assessing their impact on pain severity, functional outcomes, quality of life, mental health, medication adherence, patient satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness. A network meta-analysis (NMA) will be conducted to compare different eHealth modalities and identify which features contribute most to positive outcomes. Statistical analyses will follow Cochrane guidelines, with the risk of bias and evidence certainty evaluated using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool and GRADE framework, respectively. The findings will provide valuable insights for clinicians, policymakers, and researchers, informing best practices for integrating digital health solutions into chronic pain management.

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  This systematic review and meta-analysis will assess the efficacy of eHealth interventions for chronic pain management.
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  A network meta-analysis will compare different digital health modalities to identify the most effective intervention components.
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  The study will evaluate clinical, functional, psychological, adherence, and cost-related outcomes, informing evidence-based practice and policy.