The effectiveness of digital technology interventions to reduce loneliness in adult people: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Introduction Loneliness is an emerging public health problem, which is associated with social, emotional, mental and physical health issues. The application of digital technology (DT) interventions to reduce loneliness has increased in recent years. The effectiveness of DT interventions needs to be assessed systematically. Methods and analysis Aim To undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of digital technology interventions to reduce loneliness among adult people. Design systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources Five leading online bibliographic databases: PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Publication period 1 January 2010 to 30 April 2019. Inclusion criteria Primary studies involving the application of digital technology interventions to reduce loneliness, involving adult participants (aged 18 years and more) and published in the English language. Search strategy Literature searches using a priory list of keywords, involvement of two independent researchers in article screening, short listing and data extraction using a predefined template based on the population, intervention(s), comparator(s) and outcome(s) (PICO) framework. Synthesis and meta-analysis A narrative summary of the characteristics of included studies, findings by the type of DT intervention, and the age, gender and ethnicity of participants. A meta-analysis by the type of DT intervention and determination of effect sizes. Quality of evidence and bias Quality of evidence assessed the RoB 2.0 (revised tool for Risk of Bias in randomized trials) and ROBINS-I (Risk Of Bias in Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions) tools for randomized control trials and non-randomized studies respectively. Heterogeneity between studies determined by the I 2 and Cochran’s Q statistics and publication bias checked with funnel plots and the Egger’s test. Patients and public involvement None Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval was not required for writing this protocol. The findings will be disseminated through the publication of research articles and conference presentations. PROSPERO Registration Number CRD42019131524. Article Summary Strengths and limitations of this study The main strength of this study includes a systematic assessment of evidence on the effectiveness of digital technology interventions to reduce loneliness, which is imperative from the health and social care and public health perspectives. Another strength of the study is the involvement of two independent researchers (and a third researcher as an arbitrator) involved in the identification, screening, inclusion and extraction of on a predefined template using the PICO framework. Limitations may include missing identification of additional relevant studies due to the application of selection filters such as the publication years and English as the publication language.