Effectiveness of telehealth care on self-care behaviors in heart failure patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

OBJECTIVE

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic condition requiring ongoing management to prevent complications. Telehealth interventions have shown effectiveness in managing HF, though further research is needed to optimize their implementation and outcomes for patients. The objective is to report a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate and synthesize evidence associated with the clinical effectiveness of telehealth care on self-care behaviors in HF patients.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials will be initiated, and the search will be conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL, from 2016 to March 2025.

RESULTS

Self-care behavior results will be the main outcome. The revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (Rob2) and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critique tool will be utilized to measure the risk of bias in different studies. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) will be used to evaluate the quality of evidence. If sufficient studies are accessible, subgroup analysis will evaluate differences according to the types of scales that measure self-care behaviors in HF. Additionally, sensitivity analysis will identify sources of potential heterogeneity.

CONCLUSION

The protocol will utilize a systematic review and meta-analysis to verify the effectiveness of telehealth care on self-care behaviors in HF patients. This work will improve the recognition and optimization of telehealth care, which is essential for enhancing self-care behaviors in HF patients.