To examine virtual health service (VHS) device usage patterns and identify factors associated with VHS engagement among Indigenous Australian adults with chronic conditions.

Cross-sectional survey.

An Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation providing primary healthcare services across rural and remote Queensland, Australia.

74 consenting Indigenous Australian adults with at least one chronic condition who were registered VHS users.

Participants completed surveys assessing their use of four Bluetooth-enabled monitoring devices (pulse oximeter, blood glucose monitor, blood pressure monitor, weight scale) over a 2-week recall period. The primary outcome was VHS device usage status, categorised as active versus inactive users. Active users were defined as participants who reported any frequency of device use, while those reporting no use were classified as inactive users. All participants had access to Indigenous health coach support as part of the VHS model. Binary logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic and geographical factors associated with VHS engagement.

Sixty-four per cent (n=47) were active users, with 73% of these using all four devices concurrently. Among active users, blood pressure monitors showed the highest utilisation (98%), followed by weight scales (91%), blood glucose monitors (89%) and pulse oximeters (86%). Three factors were significantly associated with VHS usage using binary logistic regression: residing in medium rural towns (adjusted OR 4.71, 95% CI 1.23 to 17.94, p=0.02), age 18–65 years (adjusted OR 3.59, 95% CI 1.05 to 12.22, p=0.04) and having multiple chronic conditions (adjusted OR 10.95, 95% CI 1.25 to 95.87, p=0.03) compared with those in more remote areas, aged ≥66 years and with single condition, respectively.

Indigenous-led VHS achieve substantial engagement through culturally grounded health coach support. However, addressing digital connectivity in remote areas, age-appropriate support for older adults and Indigenous workforce development is essential to ensure equitable access and sustained engagement

Digital technology in primary healthcare service delivery can enhance accessibility, service delivery and health outcomes in rural populations. The objective of this systematic review is to review and synthesise the scope and impact of digital health technology innovations within rural primary healthcare settings.

Systematic review.

Articles published on PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central, SCOPUS, Web of Science, EMBASE and CINAHL between January 2013 and October 2025 were searched using key search terms.

Patient, intervention, context, outcome model criteria guided article eligibility. Included articles were undertaken in rural populations, used digital health technology for treatment or management, explored the impact of digital health technology on rural primary healthcare and reported on healthcare outcomes. Included articles were in the English language and presented peer-reviewed primary research.

Extraction was performed using a bespoke standardised template by multiple reviewers. Quality assessment was undertaken using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Descriptive analysis and conventional inductive content analysis were applied to quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. The review is written in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols statement guidelines.

66 studies were included in the review. Most studies were conducted in the USA (n=26). Most studies focused on adult patient populations, with limited representation of Indigenous (In=3) and paediatric populations (n=2). Telemedicine/telehealth interventions using audio, video or both were the most common (n=36). Remote patient monitoring or point-of-care testing was integrated into 21 studies. Physical health conditions, particularly diabetes (n=17), cardiovascular diseases (n=11) and general primary healthcare concerns (n=13) were commonly reported. Others reported on areas including mental health, hypertension, obesity and pregnancy care.

Conventional inductive content analysis identified key themes: cost and time effectiveness, quality healthcare provision, consumer acceptance from both patients and practitioners, and healthcare service provider perspectives. Uptake barriers included staff workload and patient non-compliance, while facilitators encompassed process standardisation and practitioner acceptance and endorsement. Consumer acceptance was linked to satisfaction, willingness to engage and improved health outcomes and well-being.

Digital health interventions in rural primary healthcare offer significant potential to improve healthcare delivery, reduce costs and enhance patient access, satisfaction and health outcomes. However, careful consideration of factors such as feasibility, consumer and practitioner acceptance, and recognition of limitations is crucial for successful implementation. The review underscores the importance of flexible policies to support emerging digital healthcare solutions, including the integration of artificial intelligence. Overall, digital health interventions offer a promising avenue to improve healthcare outcomes in rural areas and should be prioritised for government funding and investment.

CRD42023477233.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is recommended for prophylaxis against VTE after trauma but may increase the risk of progression of intracranial bleeding. Limited evidence exists to guide clinicians regarding the optimal timing of VTE prophylaxis in patients with acute TBI. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) will directly compare the safety and effectiveness of early versus delayed initiation of LMWH in patients with moderate to severe TBI.

The study design is a Bayesian adaptive RCT comparing early (within three calendar days of injury) versus delayed (after study Day 7) VTE prophylaxis with the LMWH, dalteparin. All patients receive sequential compression devices until study Day 8. The co-primary effectiveness outcome is the development of clinically important VTE at study Day 8. The co-primary safety outcome is the development of clinically important intracranial bleeding at study Day 8. Secondary outcomes are mortality and functional outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended and EQ-5D) measured at study Days 30 and 180; clinically diagnosed VTE to Day 30 and progression of intracranial bleeding to Day 8.

This study has been approved through Clinical Trials Ontario’s streamlined ethics review process (board of record, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre) and all participating centres. It is conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, Good Clinical Practice guidelines and Health Canada regulatory requirements. We anticipate that the trial will achieve wide dissemination through publication in a peer-reviewed medical journal and presentation at international conferences targeting the fields of critical care, trauma and neurosurgery. The results of this trial will help guide clinicians aiming to balance the risks and benefits of early anticoagulant prophylaxis after TBI and will inform guideline development.

NCT03559114.

Multimorbidity or multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs) are defined as the coexistence of two or more chronic conditions in an individual. With increased longevity and the rising burden of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), multimorbidity is becoming the norm. Although more prevalent in older populations and people with low socio-economic status, multimorbidity is rapidly rising in the younger age groups. Accurate data on its incidence and health and economic impacts, ie, disability-adjusted life years (DALY) lost and quality-adjusted life year (QALY) are not available for the Indian population. The objective of this study is to determine the incidence and predictors of multimorbidity, the longitudinal trends, the common clusters of conditions and the health and economic impact of multimorbidity among adult Indians aged ≥40 years.

12 229 participants (≥40 years) from the population-based cohort, titled the Centre for cArdiometabolic Risk Reduction in South-Asia (CARRS) cohort, from Delhi and Chennai will be recruited. CARRS is an existing adult urban cohort which is well characterised, deeply phenotyped and geocoded with bio-banked samples. They will be followed up longitudinally twice during 2023–2025. Information will be collected on common NCD risk factors (physical inactivity, tobacco and alcohol use), disability, frailty and treatment costs. We will also perform anthropometric and blood pressure measurements on all participants as well as biomarker assessments on a sub-sample of 2300.

Ethics approval has been obtained from the ethics committees of the Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC) (Institutional Review Board (IRB) 00006330) and the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (IRB no. IRB00002640). Key findings from the study will be published in national and international peer-reviewed journals. Results will also be presented at various academic conferences to engage with the broader research community. A final report will be submitted to the funding agency upon completion of the fellowship. De-identified data will be securely stored at the CCDC. Access to the data will be available upon request to the principal investigator.