Abstract
In recent decades, health apps have become widespread. Patients with musculoskeletal diseases use this software to self-manage their symptoms and continue their diet. The purpose of this study is to scope a review of articles related to the apps developed for musculoskeletal patients to identify and synthesize relevant knowledge. This research was based on the population, intervention, comparison, and outcome (PICO) model. A preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram was used to report the literature search and review process. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used to evaluate bias in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). A database search was conducted to find RCTs published from January 1, 2012, to November 29, 2022, across databases. For each article relevant to an app for patients with musculoskeletal disease, we qualitatively evaluated its information on country, target health problem, outcomes, comparisons, study design, and variables assessed to determine the efficacy of the app. Among the reviewed articles, 34 were included in this review. In these articles, most apps investigated focused on knee osteoarthritis (32.35%). The apps addressed a variety of variables, but self-management in pain control (38.23%) and exercise (17.64%) were the top two subjects. Most of the apps were developed in the US (23.52%). The global trend toward mHealth apps for self-management of diseases is increasing. It seems that existing mobile apps not only are insufficient but also do not fully cover the growing needs of patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Continued research and development in this area are critical to meet the needs of a growing population living with the long-term effects of musculoskeletal diseases.
Published Version
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