Role of digital health technologies in the management of hypertension and diabetes in rural populations: a systematic review

IF 1.9 Q2 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health Pub Date : 2026-09-01 Epub Date: 2026-08-29 DOI:10.1016/j.cegh.2026.102470

Vaibhav Chaudhary, Bhavya Sharma, Sweta Kumari, Tambe Daniel Atem, Molakpogu Ravindra Babu, Krishna Murti, Nitesh Kumar, Biplab Pal

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

The rising prevalence of hypertension and diabetes presents significant challenges for management, especially in rural areas where healthcare resources are limited. This systematic review examined the potential of digital health technologies in managing these conditions in rural populations.

Methods

Search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and Google Scholar for studies published from the earliest records indexed in each database up to September 2025 that assessed the effectiveness of digital health interventions in managing diabetes and/or hypertension in rural areas. Quality assessment was performed using Revised Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool (RoB 2.0) and Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool.

Results

A total of 11 studies were included, with 3 focusing on hypertension, 7 on diabetes, and 1 on both conditions. Digital interventions for hypertension were associated with reductions in blood pressure and improvements in quality of life, treatment adherence, and self-efficacy. Similarly, interventions for diabetes were associated with reductions in blood glucose levels or HbA1c and improvements in LDL levels and self‐management skills. However, no significant changes were observed in HDL levels, triglycerides, albumin-to-creatinine ratio, body mass index, or waist circumference.

Conclusion

Digital health interventions show potential to support the management of hypertension and diabetes in rural populations by improving clinical and behavioral outcomes. However, factors such as low digital literacy, language barriers, poor internet connectivity, and limited access to digital devices may affect implementation. Future research should evaluate interventions that are appropriate for rural settings to improve the management of these chronic conditions.

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数字卫生技术在农村人口高血压和糖尿病管理中的作用：系统综述

背景：高血压和糖尿病患病率的上升对管理提出了重大挑战，特别是在医疗资源有限的农村地区。这一系统综述研究了数字卫生技术在管理农村人口这些疾病方面的潜力。方法检索PubMed、Scopus、EMBASE和谷歌Scholar数据库中截至2025年9月的最早记录，以评估数字健康干预在农村地区管理糖尿病和/或高血压方面的有效性。采用改进的Cochrane风险偏倚工具（RoB 2.0）和非随机干预研究的风险偏倚工具（ROBINS-I）进行质量评估。结果共纳入11项研究，其中3项针对高血压，7项针对糖尿病，1项针对两种情况。数字干预高血压与血压降低、生活质量改善、治疗依从性和自我效能相关。同样，对糖尿病的干预与血糖水平或糖化血红蛋白的降低、低密度脂蛋白水平和自我管理技能的改善有关。然而，在高密度脂蛋白水平、甘油三酯、白蛋白与肌酐比值、体重指数或腰围方面没有观察到明显的变化。结论数字健康干预显示出通过改善临床和行为结果来支持农村人群高血压和糖尿病管理的潜力。然而，数字素养低、语言障碍、互联网连通性差和数字设备获取受限等因素可能会影响实施。未来的研究应评估适合农村环境的干预措施，以改善这些慢性病的管理。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH-

CiteScore

4.60

自引率

7.70%

发文量

218

审稿时长

66 days

期刊介绍： Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health (CEGH) is a multidisciplinary journal and it is published four times (March, June, September, December) a year. The mandate of CEGH is to promote articles on clinical epidemiology with focus on developing countries in the context of global health. We also accept articles from other countries. It publishes original research work across all disciplines of medicine and allied sciences, related to clinical epidemiology and global health. The journal publishes Original articles, Review articles, Evidence Summaries, Letters to the Editor. All articles published in CEGH are peer-reviewed and published online for immediate access and citation.