European innovation alliance for musculoskeletal health literacy in the digital era (Digi4MSK project): protocol for a prospective multi-country two parallel evaluation of digital educational interventions for musculoskeletal health literacy
12 affiliations
- 1Universidad San Jorge, Villanueva de Gállego, Zaragoza, Spain
- 2School of Allied Health, Health Research Institute, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
- 3European Pain Federation, Brussels, Belgium
- 4Ageing Research Centre, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
- 5Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- 6Rétköz Health Center, Budapest, Hungary
- 7Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- 8Department of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
- 9Department of Health Science and Technology, Department of Physiotherapy, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- 10Department of Health Science and Technology, Department of Physiotherapy, University College of Northern Denmark, Aalborg, Denmark
- 11IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milano, Italy
- 12SYNYO GmbH, Vienna, Austria
Abstract
Introduction: Chronic musculoskeletal pain is one of the most prevalent and costly conditions in Europe, significantly reducing quality of life and work capacity. Limited implementation of scientific knowledge into practice hinders the implementation of evidence-based treatments. The Digi4MSK project seeks to address this gap by promoting continuous education and health literacy through evidence-based online interventions. The study seeks to evaluate participation rates, learning outcomes and key factors potentially influencing the impact of these interventions, with the goal of supporting better self-management and reducing long-term disability.
Methods and analysis: This prospective multi-country two parallel evaluation will be conducted in Ireland, Denmark, Italy, Austria and Spain. Healthcare professionals and individuals with musculoskeletal pain will complete assessments before and after the online course, with an additional follow-up at 3 months. Educational digital interventions will be delivered online in two tailored formats: a 6-hour online course for professionals focused on assessment and implementation of self-management strategies and a 2-hour online course for people with musculoskeletal pain aimed at improving health literacy and promoting active self-management. The design of both online courses follows Mayer’s multimedia learning principles. Recruitment will be coordinated through professional and patient associations and universities. The impact will be assessed using the Kirkpatrick model as a reference, covering participant reaction, learning, behaviour change and results. Descriptive statistics, paired comparisons and regression models will be used to evaluate the impact on health literacy, identify predictors of completion and improvement and assess the influence of demographic factors. Analyses will be conducted separately for healthcare professionals and individuals with musculoskeletal pain.
Ethics and dissemination: The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of San Jorge University (N117/1/23-24). Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, international conferences and Digi4MSK official channels.
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BibTeX
@article{bellostalopez2026european,
title = {{European innovation alliance for musculoskeletal health literacy in the digital era (Digi4MSK project): protocol for a prospective multi-country two parallel evaluation of digital educational interventions for musculoskeletal health literacy}},
author = {Pablo Bellosta-López and Victor Domenech-Garcia and Julia Blasco-Abadía and Sofía Albero-Posac and Lara Coyne and Mary O’Keeffe and Nathaniel Skidmore and Zsófia Nagy and Thorvaldur Skuli Palsson and Steffan Wittrup McPhee Christensen and Morten Høgh and Pedro Berjano and Domenico Compagnone and Francesco Langella and Alice Baroncini and Lisa Zauber and Rafael Giner-Nicolás and Pablo Gargallo-Aguarón and Marta San Miguel-Pagola and Almudena Medina-Rincón and Patricia Roldán-Pérez and Almudena Buesa-Estéllez and Cristina de Diego-Alonso and Maria Pilar Lopez-Royo and Luis Fernández-Sola and Kieran O’Sullivan},
journal = {BMJ Open},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1136/bmjopen-2026-121010},
url = {https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-121010},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - European innovation alliance for musculoskeletal health literacy in the digital era (Digi4MSK project): protocol for a prospective multi-country two parallel evaluation of digital educational interventions for musculoskeletal health literacy
AU - Pablo Bellosta-López
AU - Victor Domenech-Garcia
AU - Julia Blasco-Abadía
AU - Sofía Albero-Posac
AU - Lara Coyne
AU - Mary O’Keeffe
AU - Nathaniel Skidmore
AU - Zsófia Nagy
AU - Thorvaldur Skuli Palsson
AU - Steffan Wittrup McPhee Christensen
AU - Morten Høgh
AU - Pedro Berjano
AU - Domenico Compagnone
AU - Francesco Langella
AU - Alice Baroncini
AU - Lisa Zauber
AU - Rafael Giner-Nicolás
AU - Pablo Gargallo-Aguarón
AU - Marta San Miguel-Pagola
AU - Almudena Medina-Rincón
AU - Patricia Roldán-Pérez
AU - Almudena Buesa-Estéllez
AU - Cristina de Diego-Alonso
AU - Maria Pilar Lopez-Royo
AU - Luis Fernández-Sola
AU - Kieran O’Sullivan
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - BMJ Open
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2026-121010
UR - https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-121010
AB - Introduction: Chronic musculoskeletal pain is one of the most prevalent and costly conditions in Europe, significantly reducing quality of life and work capacity. Limited implementation of scientific knowledge into practice hinders the implementation of evidence-based treatments. The Digi4MSK project seeks to address this gap by promoting continuous education and health literacy through evidence-based online interventions. The study seeks to evaluate participation rates, learning outcomes and key factors potentially influencing the impact of these interventions, with the goal of supporting better self-management and reducing long-term disability. Methods and analysis: This prospective multi-country two parallel evaluation will be conducted in Ireland, Denmark, Italy, Austria and Spain. Healthcare professionals and individuals with musculoskeletal pain will complete assessments before and after the online course, with an additional follow-up at 3 months. Educational digital interventions will be delivered online in two tailored formats: a 6-hour online course for professionals focused on assessment and implementation of self-management strategies and a 2-hour online course for people with musculoskeletal pain aimed at improving health literacy and promoting active self-management. The design of both online courses follows Mayer’s multimedia learning principles. Recruitment will be coordinated through professional and patient associations and universities. The impact will be assessed using the Kirkpatrick model as a reference, covering participant reaction, learning, behaviour change and results. Descriptive statistics, paired comparisons and regression models will be used to evaluate the impact on health literacy, identify predictors of completion and improvement and assess the influence of demographic factors. Analyses will be conducted separately for healthcare professionals and individuals with musculoskeletal pain. Ethics and dissemination: The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of San Jorge University (N117/1/23-24). Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, international conferences and Digi4MSK official channels.
SN - 2044-6055
SN - 2044-6055
ER -