A systematic review of digital health interventions for the diagnosis and management of cancer in rural and remote Australia

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review investigated the impact of digital health interventions including videoconferencing, telephone counselling, remote radiology assessment models and wearable activity tracker on cancer diagnosis and treatment in rural and remote Australia. METHODS: We systematically searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and PubMed from inception to 25 March 2025 to identify studies examining digital health interventions for cancer diagnosis and management among adults and children living in rural and remote Australia. Findings were synthesised using vote counting by digital health intervention type and outcome. RESULTS: Twenty studies were included. Of these, 12 were classified as beneficial and 8 showed a positive effect of digital health interventions for cancer diagnosis and management. Videoconferencing, telephone counselling and remote radiology assessment model improved access to care, reduced travel burden and costs and were generally associated with high patient satisfaction. However, communicating diagnostic results via telephone remained a persistent challenge. CONCLUSIONS: Digital health interventions were found to improve patient satisfaction and reduce travel and relocation burdens and enhance access to cancer care in rural areas. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: To enhance the effectiveness of digital health interventions, integration of psychosocial support services is recommended to better meet the emotional and psychosocial needs of cancer patients.