Stephen Yolonda*
Telehealth, defined as the delivery of health care services through telecommunication technologies, has gained considerable attention as a way to improve the management of chronic diseases. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of telehealth interventions in chronic disease management. We conducted a comprehensive search of electronic databases from inception until 2021. Randomized controlled trials comparing telehealth interventions to usual care were included. We analyzed 55 studies with 16,157 participants, and found that telehealth interventions were effective in improving a range of clinical outcomes, including blood pressure control, glycemic control, and quality of life. Subgroup analyses suggested that the effectiveness of telehealth interventions varied according to the type of chronic disease and the mode of delivery. In conclusion, telehealth interventions can be an effective way to improve chronic disease management, particularly for patients with limited access to traditional health care services.
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