ArticleRheumatology international2025
Digital empowerment on hold: DiGA adoption gaps-a German national cross-sectional patient survey study.
Article in Rheumatology international, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- [Medical health apps for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis].Zeitschrift fur Rheumatologie · 2025Pooled it
- Evaluating usability, adherence and clinical benefit of a new digital heath application in rheumatoid arthritis: a pilot feasibility study.Rheumatology international · 2026Article
- [Digital health applications : A new approach in the management of comobidities].Zeitschrift fur Rheumatologie · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Digital health applications (DiGAs), prescribable and reimbursed in Germany since 2020, have the potential to enhance patient self-management. This study aimed to assess rheumatology patients' awareness, willingness to use, suitability, and actual adoption of DiGAs. Between February 17 and April 8, 2025, adult patients attending seven German rheumatology outpatient clinics completed an electronic survey. A total of 246 patients participated (mean age 50.4 years; 71.1% female), with most treated at university hospitals (59.8%). The predominant diagnoses were rheumatoid arthritis (41.1%), psoriatic arthritis (18.3%), and axial spondyloarthritis (10.2%). While only 19.5% reported prior use of medical apps, 39.8% were aware of DiGAs, and 12.6% had used one. Notably, 84.6% reported at least one comorbidity matching an approved DiGA indication, most commonly back pain (54.8%), chronic pain (52.0%), and sleep disorders (35.8%). A majority expressed willingness to regularly use a DiGA (72.4%) and were open to recommendations from their rheumatologists or health insurers (72.8%). Additionally, 76.0% showed interest in a rheumatology-specific DiGA. Despite high interest and relevant comorbidities among patients, current DiGA use was limited. These findings underscore the need for targeted implementation strategies to increase uptake and realize the full potential of digital health applications in rheumatology care. The results also emphasize the need for rheumatologists to actively educate and guide their patients regarding the availability and potential benefits of DiGAs.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.