The Dosing of Mobile-Based Just-in-Time Adaptive Self-Management Prompts for Caregivers: Preliminary Findings From a Pilot Microrandomized Study

JMIR Formative Research, 2023 · DOI: 10.2196/43099 · Published: September 14, 2023

Patient Experience Telehealth & Digital Health Social Support

Simple Explanation

This study explores how mobile app notifications can help caregivers manage stress, anxiety, and depression using a method called just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs). JITAIs aim to provide support at the exact moment it's needed. The study examined whether sending different amounts of notifications (high, medium, low frequency) through a mobile app could improve the well-being of caregivers dealing with chronic illnesses. The results suggest that more frequent notifications might lead to greater improvements in caregivers' mental health, but the impact can vary depending on the specific challenges the caregiver faces.

Study Duration

3 Months

Participants

36 caregivers from 3 disease groups

Evidence Level

Level 2: Randomized controlled trial (pilot)

Key Findings

1
A positive dose-response relationship was found between the number of JITAI messages and improvements in caregiver strain, anxiety, and depression.
2
Administering 5-6 messages per week resulted in a significant decrease in the HRQOL score of caregiver strain.
3
The caregiver groups and the participants’ levels of depression in the previous week moderated JITAI efficacy.

Research Summary

This study provides preliminary evidence to support the effectiveness of self-management JITAIs in improving caregiver HRQOL. The findings suggest a dose-response relationship where a higher dosage of JITAI messages is associated with greater improvement in caregiver strain, anxiety, and depression. The study also indicates that different caregiver groups respond differently to JITAI interventions, and pre-intervention depression levels can moderate JITAI efficacy.

Practical Implications

Personalized JITAI Strategies

Future JITAI designs should consider personalizing interventions based on factors like caregiver group, JITAI message dosage, and preintervention depression level.

Optimal Dosage Identification

Further research is needed to identify the optimal JITAI dosage to maximize positive health outcomes and avoid potential overexposure effects.

Scalable Intervention

Self-management JITAIs can be a scalable and inexpensive low-touch intervention to improve caregiver outcomes and overall well-being.

Study Limitations

1
Small sample size limits the statistical power of the analysis.
2
Daily self-reporting may have biased caregiver reporting.
3
Limited caregiver group diversity may not represent the entire caregiver population.

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Patient Experience