Digitally delivered education for healthcare professionals managing persistent musculoskeletal pain: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND

Digital platforms are increasingly used to facilitate continuing professional development for Healthcare Professionals treating persistent musculoskeletal pain.

OBJECTIVE

To examine how digital education for Healthcare Professionals managing persistent musculoskeletal pain is delivered.

DESIGN

Scoping Review

METHODS

Following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, six electronic databases were searched using three keyword categories (Healthcare Professionals, Musculoskeletal Pain, digital education). Eligible studies were written in English, included a minimum of 10 participants, used fully digital formats to deliver pain education to qualified healthcare professionals involved in treating adult populations. Studies were charted and evaluated using the e-Health extension of the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist. All outcomes were classified using the New World Kirkpatrick Method: Reaction, Learning, Behaviour, and Results-level outcomes.

RESULTS

23 studies were included in the final review. Participants were mostly Physiotherapists (16/23). Digital education varied widely in format, duration and content. TIDieR scores ranged from 6/12 to 12/12, with limited reporting of tailoring and modification (4/23) to healthcare professionals' needs or preferences, and limited actual measures of fidelity or adherence (8/23). The reaction-level outcomes (n = 19/23) were broadly positive on acceptability, satisfaction, and feasibility. Learning-level outcomes (n = 20/23), commonly self-reported, were mixed. Behavioural outcomes were assessed in only 9/23 studies. Only two studies evaluated patient outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Digitally delivered education for clinicians managing persistent musculoskeletal pain varied widely in format, duration, and content. Intervention descriptions were often incomplete, and few studies incorporated interactivity or tailoring to learner needs and preferences. Few studies considered clinical outcomes.