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Digital Health Interventions for Adolescents with Long-Term Health Conditions in South Africa: A Scoping Review

Author

Listed:
  • Talitha Crowley

    (School of Nursing, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa)

  • Lwandile Tokwe

    (HIV Mental Health Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa)

  • Leonie Weyers

    (School of Nursing, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa)

  • Rukshana Francis

    (School of Nursing, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa)

  • Charné Petinger

    (School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa)

Abstract

Adolescents with long-term health conditions may benefit from digital health interventions (DHIs) to support self-management. The study aimed to map the current research on DHIs for adolescents with long-term conditions in South Africa, focusing on the types of interventions, targeted chronic conditions, and reported outcomes. The scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. Searches were conducted in electronic databases such as EBSCOHost (CINAHL, MEDLINE, Academic Search Ultimate, and APA PSycArticles), Wiley Online Library, and PubMed for articles published between 2014 and 2024. Studies that (1) involved adolescents with a long-term health condition (aged 15–24) residing in South Africa, (2) reported on the use of digital health technology, and (3) provided empirical evidence were included. Nine studies were included in the analysis, focusing primarily on HIV, depression/anxiety, and diabetes. Most interventions utilized WhatsApp, SMS, or social media to provide peer or healthcare worker support. Process outcomes like acceptability and feasibility dominated, with limited data on effectiveness. DHIs show potential for supporting adolescent health but cover a limited number of long-term health conditions and face barriers to effective implementation. Affordable, context-specific solutions co-designed with adolescents are crucial to enhance engagement and ensure scalability in the South African context. Registration: The protocol was registered on Open Science Framework.

Suggested Citation

  • Talitha Crowley & Lwandile Tokwe & Leonie Weyers & Rukshana Francis & Charné Petinger, 2024. "Digital Health Interventions for Adolescents with Long-Term Health Conditions in South Africa: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(1), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2024:i:1:p:2-:d:1551449
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Talitha Crowley & Charné Petinger & Azia Ivo Nchendia & Brian van Wyk, 2023. "Effectiveness, Acceptability and Feasibility of Technology-Enabled Health Interventions for Adolescents Living with HIV in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-18, January.
    2. Tafadzwa Mindu & Innocent Tinashe Mutero & Winnie Baphumelele Ngcobo & Rosemary Musesengwa & Moses John Chimbari, 2023. "Digital Mental Health Interventions for Young People in Rural South Africa: Prospects and Challenges for Implementation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-15, January.
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