Use of mobile applications and health technologies among dementia caregivers with chronic conditions: A cross-sectional study
Objective Almost 80% of people, who are caring for someone with dementia, have one or more chronic conditions and require self-management support. New technologies offer promising solutions; however, little is known about what technologies caregivers use for their health or in general. This study ai...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Digital Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076231181213 |
| _version_ | 1797802552270520320 |
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| author | Kyra Jennifer Waligora Mendez Alain Bernard Labrique Chakra Budhathoki Tatiana Sadak Elizabeth K. Tanner Valerie T. Cotter Hae-Ra Han |
| author_facet | Kyra Jennifer Waligora Mendez Alain Bernard Labrique Chakra Budhathoki Tatiana Sadak Elizabeth K. Tanner Valerie T. Cotter Hae-Ra Han |
| author_sort | Kyra Jennifer Waligora Mendez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective Almost 80% of people, who are caring for someone with dementia, have one or more chronic conditions and require self-management support. New technologies offer promising solutions; however, little is known about what technologies caregivers use for their health or in general. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of mobile application (app) and health-related technology use among caregivers who have chronic conditions and care for someone with dementia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 122 caregivers recruited online and from communities in the Baltimore-metropolitan area. Data were collected with online surveys and computer-assisted telephone interviews. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze survey data. Results Study participants were primarily female (95 of 122, 77.9%), middle-aged (average 53 years, standard deviation (SD) 17), well educated (average 16 years, SD 3.3), an adult child of the person with dementia (53 of 122, 43.4%), and had 4 chronic conditions on average (SD 2.6). Over 90% of caregivers used mobile apps (116 of 122), spending a range of 9 to 82 min on each app. Most caregivers reported using social media apps (96 of 116, 82.8%), weather apps (96 of 116, 82.8%), and/or music or entertainment apps (89 of 116, 76.7%). Among caregivers using each app type, more than half of caregivers used social media (66 of 96, 69%), games (49 of 74, 66%), weather (62 of 96, 65%), and/or music or entertainment apps (51 of 89, 57%) daily. Caregivers also used several technologies to support their own health—the most common being websites, mobile devices, and health-related mobile apps. Conclusion This study supports the feasibility of using technologies to promote health behavior change and support self-management among caregivers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T05:08:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ec148ee34efc405a84c768429c05973b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2055-2076 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T05:08:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Digital Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-ec148ee34efc405a84c768429c05973b2023-06-16T07:33:32ZengSAGE PublishingDigital Health2055-20762023-06-01910.1177/20552076231181213Use of mobile applications and health technologies among dementia caregivers with chronic conditions: A cross-sectional studyKyra Jennifer Waligora Mendez0Alain Bernard Labrique1Chakra Budhathoki2Tatiana Sadak3Elizabeth K. Tanner4Valerie T. Cotter5Hae-Ra Han6 , Baltimore, MD, USA International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA , Baltimore, MD, USA , Seattle, WA, USA , Baltimore, MD, USA , Baltimore, MD, USA Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USAObjective Almost 80% of people, who are caring for someone with dementia, have one or more chronic conditions and require self-management support. New technologies offer promising solutions; however, little is known about what technologies caregivers use for their health or in general. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of mobile application (app) and health-related technology use among caregivers who have chronic conditions and care for someone with dementia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 122 caregivers recruited online and from communities in the Baltimore-metropolitan area. Data were collected with online surveys and computer-assisted telephone interviews. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze survey data. Results Study participants were primarily female (95 of 122, 77.9%), middle-aged (average 53 years, standard deviation (SD) 17), well educated (average 16 years, SD 3.3), an adult child of the person with dementia (53 of 122, 43.4%), and had 4 chronic conditions on average (SD 2.6). Over 90% of caregivers used mobile apps (116 of 122), spending a range of 9 to 82 min on each app. Most caregivers reported using social media apps (96 of 116, 82.8%), weather apps (96 of 116, 82.8%), and/or music or entertainment apps (89 of 116, 76.7%). Among caregivers using each app type, more than half of caregivers used social media (66 of 96, 69%), games (49 of 74, 66%), weather (62 of 96, 65%), and/or music or entertainment apps (51 of 89, 57%) daily. Caregivers also used several technologies to support their own health—the most common being websites, mobile devices, and health-related mobile apps. Conclusion This study supports the feasibility of using technologies to promote health behavior change and support self-management among caregivers.https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076231181213 |
| spellingShingle | Kyra Jennifer Waligora Mendez Alain Bernard Labrique Chakra Budhathoki Tatiana Sadak Elizabeth K. Tanner Valerie T. Cotter Hae-Ra Han Use of mobile applications and health technologies among dementia caregivers with chronic conditions: A cross-sectional study Digital Health |
| title | Use of mobile applications and health technologies among dementia caregivers with chronic conditions: A cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Use of mobile applications and health technologies among dementia caregivers with chronic conditions: A cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Use of mobile applications and health technologies among dementia caregivers with chronic conditions: A cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Use of mobile applications and health technologies among dementia caregivers with chronic conditions: A cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Use of mobile applications and health technologies among dementia caregivers with chronic conditions: A cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | use of mobile applications and health technologies among dementia caregivers with chronic conditions a cross sectional study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076231181213 |
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