Designing and Evaluating IT Applications for Informal Caregivers: Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Caregiver Support Technologies

Background:

• Informal caregivers are vital for individuals with chronic conditions but face significant stress and burnout.
• Existing information technology (IT) applications often lack a user-centered approach, failing to meet caregivers' specific needs and preferences.
• Understanding caregiver perspectives is crucial for developing effective IT support solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review to identify design recommendations for IT applications from the perspective of informal caregivers.
• To present evaluations of the use of IT applications by informal caregivers.
• To inform the development of user-centered IT solutions tailored to informal caregiver needs.

Main Methods:

• A five-step scoping review methodology was employed.
• Literature searches were conducted across major scientific databases (PubMed, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, ACM Digital Library) and Google Scholar.
• Thematic analysis was used to analyze data from 82 selected qualitative studies.

Main Results:

• Six themes emerged for IT application design: information access, support systems, task streamlining, caregiver well-being, communication with healthcare professionals, and task support.
• Three themes emerged for IT application evaluation: facilitators, barriers, and improvement suggestions.
• 44 articles focused on design and 39 on evaluation of IT applications for informal caregivers.

Conclusions:

• This is the first study to map the literature on IT applications for informal caregivers.
• The review outlines current practices and provides recommendations for designing and evaluating IT applications.
• Findings offer a roadmap for enhancing user-centric IT solutions in caregiver support technologies.