Informal Caregivers' Experiences of an Online Support Program: Qualitative Study Using an Abductive Approach Focusing...

Area of Science:

• Digital health interventions
• Caregiver support
• Chronic condition management

Background:

• Informal caregivers play a vital role for individuals with chronic conditions like heart failure.
• Caregivers often face demanding situations and require tailored support.
• An online support program was co-designed to address caregiver needs and preferences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore informal caregivers' experiences with a co-designed online support program for heart failure.
• To identify facilitators and barriers to program engagement.
• To inform implementation strategies for scaling up the program's use.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative content analysis of interviews with 15 informal caregivers from a randomized controlled trial.
• Abductive approach to identify barriers, facilitators, and implementation strategies.
• Mapping findings onto the Digital Health Engagement Model (DIEGO).

Main Results:

• Caregiver experiences with the online support program were identified.
• Factors influencing engagement with online content were determined.
• Tailored implementation strategies, including outreach and adaptation, were formulated.

Conclusions:

• The Digital Health Engagement Model (DIEGO) effectively guided the identification of implementation strategies.
• Strategies emphasize active outreach, endorsements, and continuous adaptation for program success.
• DIEGO provides insights for implementing digital health tools in clinical practice and research.