Application-Based Interventions for Family Caregivers of Older Adults: Scoping Review.

Abstract

Background: As the global population ages, the increasing number of individuals with chronic conditions places a growing burden on family caregivers. Behavioral interventions delivered via application-based platforms, including those on mobile phones, tablets, or the web, have emerged as a powerful tool for enhancing caregiver support.

Objective: This study aims to identify and describe application-based interventions for family caregivers of older adults with chronic conditions, focusing on their designs, features, and impact on caregiver outcomes.

Methods: This review is reported according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. A search of publications from 2007 through December 20, 2022, was conducted across PsycINFO (EBSCO), MEDLINE ALL (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Web of Science Core Collection (A&HCI, BKCI-SSH, BKCI-S, CCR-EXPANDED, ESCI, IC, CPCI-SSH, CPCI-S, SCI-EXPANDED, and SSCI; Clarivate), ACM Guide to Computing Literature (ACM Digital Library), and Engineering Village (Elsevier) using relevant keywords.

Results: The database search identified 9482 studies, resulting in 290 full-text papers being assessed, and a final 49 studies were included. Forty-four unique applications were identified, demonstrating different designs and features. These studies primarily examined the impact of applications on caregiver well-being, burden, and mental health. While the majority of interventions were perceived as beneficial, several design and research limitations were noted.

Conclusions: While many interventions demonstrate positive effects on caregiver outcomes, there are significant gaps in research design, evaluation, and reporting. Future studies should prioritize greater integration of self-care practices, clarity of intervention components, rigorous adherence to behavioral intervention frameworks, and greater inclusivity in participant samples.