An estimated 80% of the 5.4 to 16 million dementia informal caregivers (ICGs) in the U. S. have a chronic disease, yet they practice less self-management than non-caregivers, and suffer adverse health effects. ICGs form the backbone of the U. S. long term care system and there would be a healthcare crisis if poor health rendered them unable to continue providing care. Identifying innovative solutions to improve and support chronic disease self-management in ICG populations is a public health priority. Mobile health applications (mHealth apps) have a great potential to improve self-management and health outcomes in ICGs. However, ICGs are less likely to adopt mobile apps and seek medical information with mobile apps than the general public. Little research has been done to understand dementia ICGs' current mobile app uptake and how to facilitate the adoption of mHealth self-management apps among dementia ICGs with a chronic disease. There is an urgent need to understand current mobile app use among dementia ICGs and why ICGs intend to adopt, or not adopt, mHealth apps so researchers can facilitate ICGs? uptake of mHealth self-management interventions and address any barriers to or facilitators of mHealth adoption. Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model, this study proposes to understand dementia ICGs? current mobile app use and factors related to ICGs? intention to adopt mHealth apps for their own chronic disease self-management.
The specific aims of this cross-sectional correlational study are to 1) describe the scope (type, frequency, purpose, duration) of mobile app use among dementia ICGs with a chronic disease; 2) examine relationships among dementia ICGs? technological, self-management, and caregiving factors and their intention to adopt mHealth apps for self-management, controlling for ICGs? chronic disease severity, age, gender, and income; and 3) investigate if ICGs? race/ethnicity and education moderate the relationship between correlates identified in aim 2 and ICGs? intention to adopt mHealth apps for self-management controlling for ICGs? chronic disease severity, age, gender, and income. ICGs will be sampled from the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, prior and ongoing studies at Johns Hopkins, and communities in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. The applicant?s long-term goal is to become an independent nurse researcher leading the development and adoption of feasible, effective mHealth interventions that improve self-management, quality of life, and health outcomes of ICGs with chronic conditions. The proposed research training plan and strong support from inter-disciplinary research mentors are foundational for the applicant to develop rigorous research knowledge and skills, cultivate an independent program of research, and advance the sciences of caregiving, chronic disease self-management, and mHealth. This study aligns with the NINR?s strategic plan to improve quality of life and self-management outcomes of individuals with chronic disease by examining intention to adopt mHealth self-management interventions among ICGs with significant barriers to self-management.
An estimated 80% of the 5.4 to 16 million dementia informal caregivers (ICGs) in the U. S. have a chronic disease, yet they practice less self-management than non-caregivers, and suffer poor health and quality of life. Mobile health applications (mHealth apps) could greatly improve self-management and health outcomes in ICGs, but little research has been done to understand current use of mobile apps among dementia ICGs and how to facilitate their adoption of mHealth self-management apps. This study will advance nursing science by describing current mobile app use among dementia ICGs and why ICGs intend to adopt, or not adopt, mHealth apps so researchers can facilitate ICGs? uptake of mHealth self-management interventions and address any barriers to or facilitators of mHealth adoption, which will promote better self-management and health outcomes in ICGs with a chronic disease.
