JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Chronic disease burden is higher among disadvantaged populations. Preventing lifestyle risk behaviours such as poor diet, alcohol use, tobacco smoking and vaping in adolescence is critical for reducing the risk of chronic disease and related harms in adolescence and adulthood. While eHealth interventions are a promising prevention approach among the general population, it is unclear whether they adequately serve adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds such as those living in geographically remote and/or lower socioeconomic areas.

Objective:

This is the first systematic review to identify, evaluate and synthesise evidence for the effectiveness of eHealth interventions targeting adolescents living in geographically remote and/or lower socioeconomic areas in preventing poor diet, alcohol use, tobacco smoking and vaping.

Methods:

A systematic search will be conducted in seven electronic databases: the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PROSPERO, MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Scopus, and PsycInfo (Ovid). The search will be limited to eHealth-based experimental studies (i.e. randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental trials) targeting diet, alcohol use, tobacco smoking and vaping among adolescents (age 10 – 19 years). Eligible studies will be those reporting on at least one marker of socioeconomic status (e.g. social class, household income, parental occupation status, parental education and family affluence), or on geographical remoteness (e.g. living in rural, regional and remote areas, or living outside major metropolitan centres). One reviewer will screen all studies for eligibility, of which 25% will be double screened. Data will be extracted and summarised in a narrative synthesis. Risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane Revised Risk of Bias Tool (RoB 2).

Results:

This review is ongoing. As of 2021, title and abstract screening was completed, and full-text review was underway.

Conclusions:

This systematic review will provide an in-depth understanding of effective eHealth interventions targeting poor diet, alcohol use, tobacco smoking and vaping among adolescents living in geographically remote and/or lower socioeconomic areas, and the factors that contribute to their effectiveness. This in turn will provide critical knowledge to improve future interventions delivered to these populations.