Facilitators and barriers to mobile health adoption among older adults with hip fractures: A systematic review

Aim To summarise the facilitators and barriers influencing the utilisation of mobile health (mHealth) for rehabilitation among older adults with hip fractures, family caregivers, and healthcare providers. Methods A total of five databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection, and Ovid) were searched from inception to July 2025. Additionally, grey literature and reference lists were also searched. Publications were eligible if they reported on facilitators or barriers influencing the utilisation of mHealth by older adults with hip fractures, family caregivers, or healthcare providers. Results Nine articles were included. Our findings indicated that the influencing factors included patient-related and mHealth technology-related factors. Both patients and family caregivers recognised mHealth's advantages in communication with healthcare providers, finding it useful and efficient, and effective in delivering rehabilitation instructions. Healthcare providers emphasised its value in delivering holistic care, providing health education, and facilitating patients and family caregivers’ engagement in disease management. However, patients and family caregivers reported both preferences for traditional healthcare models and functional limitations as key barriers. All groups jointly reported adoption barriers, including patients’ inadequate technical literacy, patients’ characteristics, lack of critical resources, as well as technology-related challenges concerning external constraints. Conclusion The study reveals the unique characteristics of older adults with hip fractures have constrained the deeper implementation of mHealth. Future research should target family caregivers and healthcare providers by systematically examining the critical factors influencing their use of mHealth in managing older adults with hip fractures. Such investigations would enhance the quality of clinical care, facilitate patient recovery, and improve prognostic outcomes.