Mhealth interventions to improve health and quality of life related outcomes for informal dementia caregivers: A scoping review

ABSTRACT

Background

The devastating effects of dementia extend to the health and well-being of informal dementia caregivers. The physical and mental requirements of serving as a dementia caregiver are evidenced in the negative health effects that this population experiences. There is a present need for effective interventions to improve health and quality of life in informal dementia caregivers.

Objective

To investigate the health and well-being related outcomes following mHealth use in dementia caregiver and care recipient populations.

Methods

A scoping review was undertaken to investigate mHealth use in dementia caregivers. Searches spanning four databases yielded 172 articles. Following screening procedures, 12 articles were included for data extraction..

Results

Articles were organized into three major themes: social and indirect support, health education, and technology-supported monitoring. Social and indirect support apps may be valuable for caregiver stress relief, confidence, and fatigue. Health education apps were found to 1) assist with the organization of user’s health information, and 2) impact depressive symptoms. Monitoring apps provided caregivers with methods of observing both physical and emotional well-being..

Conclusion

Currently, the limited evidence on the usability and usefulness of mHealth within dementia caregiver populations indicates that mHealth holds promise as an intervention platform and warrants continued investigation.

Abbreviations: AD: Alzheimer’s Disease; CANE: Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly; CCS: Caregiver Competence Scale, CDN: COGKNOW Day Navigator; CES-D: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; CG: Caregivers; CQoL-AD: Carer’s Overall Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease; Dx: Diagnosis; ESM: experience sampling methodology; FB: Facebook; PA: Positive Affect; Pss-14: Perceived Stress Scale; QOL: Quality of Life; RCSS: Revised Caregiving Satisfaction Scale; SSCQ: Short Sense of Competence Questionnaire

KEYWORDS:

• Alzheimer disease
• dementia
• mHealth
• mobile health

Acknowledgments

All authors contributed to the development of this manuscript. No conflicts to disclose.