Authors/Year

Country

Sample Size

Aims

Design

Main Chronic Illness

# Illness

Type of Measure

Weeks

Results

Limitations

Gellis, Kenaley et al. 2012 [25]

USA

115

To examine the impact of a multifaceted telehealth intervention on health, mental health, and service utilization

RCT

MCC

6

Efficacy, Quality

12.00

Positive

Unable to determine specific influence of telehealth versus nurse interactions. No data on cost outcomes. May not be generalizable to non-Medicare certified agencies or other chronic conditions.

Gellis, Kenaley et al. 2014 [34]

USA

102

Evaluate the integrated telehealth intervention to improve chronic illness in the home healthcare setting.

RCT

MCC

2

Efficacy, Utilization

12.00

Positive

Factors such as dose, adherence, and effect of antidepressants not addressed. The amount of interaction with the team nurse and participants was not examined.

Chatwin, Hawkins et al. 2016 [37]

UK

61

To assess the impact of home telemonitoring on health service use and quality of life in patients with severe chronic lung disease.

RCT crossover

Lung Disease

5

Utilization

24.00

Negative

Results not generalizable to milder chronic respiratory disease. Possibility of a type II error. Slightly missed sample size calculation. Not blinded. No washout period.

Gonçalves, Ciol et al. 2016 [39]

Brazil

108

To compare the perceived health status and self-efficacy between two groups of burn victims.

RCT

Burns

1

Efficacy

24.00

Positive

No blinding of the measurements. Lost to follow-up, especially at 12 month point. No information on perceived health status prior to burns.

Kekäle, Söderlund et al. 2016 [40]

Finland

86

To evaluate the influence of tailored patient education on medication adherence.

RCT

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

1

Adherence

36.00

Positive

Small sample size. Subjective measure of the primary outcome. Patients were least satisfied text messaging and most satisfied with face-to-face counseling.

Cobos-Campos, Fernández de Larrinoa et al. 2017 [46]

Spain

320

To evaluate the effectiveness of text messaging added to a health advice program on smoking cessation.

RCT

Smoking

1

Efficacy

24.00

Positive

Only 148 (78 I, 70 C) made it to 6 months.

Kotsani, Antonopoulou et al. 2018 [64]

Greece

94

To evaluate the effect of telenursing on T1DM patients’ compliance with glucose self-monitoring and glycemic control

RCT

Diabetes

1

Efficacy

12.00

Positive

Short duration; the two groups were not matched for fasting glucose at baseline