Why you should read this article:

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To enhance your knowledge of adrenal incidentaloma and the issues that patients with this condition may experience

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To understand how digital technology could be used to support patients newly diagnosed with long-term conditions

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To identify how online and web-based information and support programmes could be adapted to support patients with adrenal incidentaloma

An adrenal incidentaloma is a mass discovered on the adrenal glands when patients have an investigative scan for an unrelated reason, and is considered a long-term condition. Online resources for people with other long-term conditions can provide information and advice on self-management, which can reduce their stress and anxiety.

This article reports findings of a literature review on the effectiveness of using digital technology and digital communication methods to support patients newly diagnosed with a long-term condition. No evidence was found on this topic in relation to adrenal incidentaloma, so the literature on other long-term conditions – specifically cancer, diabetes mellitus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) – was reviewed.

The article suggests that, despite the limited data on digital technology to support newly diagnosed patients with adrenal incidentaloma, online and web-based information and support programmes are used successfully for patients with other long-term conditions. Therefore, these programmes could be adapted or developed for this patient group.