Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42701191›Full record

Trial reportBMC geriatrics2026

Development and effectiveness of a user-centered mobile application for informal caregivers of people living with dementia: randomized controlled trial.

Bugse Yüceer, Fatma Ilknur Cinar, Mehmet Ilkin Naharci, Burcu Kadi

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06179667 (Gulhane Training and Research Hospital), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06179667 nacompletednot on this map

Gulhane Training and Research Hospital

TypeinterventionalSponsorGulhane Training and Research HospitalRan2023 to 2025Enrolled75ConditionsDementiaArmsMobile Application
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Bugse YüceerInstitute for Public Health and Nursing Research (IPP), Bremen University, Bremen, Germany. bugse@uni-bremen.de.ORCID 0000-0002-9167-6609
Fatma Ilknur CinarGülhane Faculty of Nursing, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye.ORCID 0000-0001-6394-8331
Mehmet Ilkin NaharciGülhane Faculty of Medicine & Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Department of Geriatrics, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye.ORCID 0000-0003-2730-7144
Burcu KadiGülhane Faculty of Medicine & Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Department of Geriatrics, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Türkiye.ORCID 0000-0003-0689-8643

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDementia places substantial physical, psychological, and social demands on informal caregivers, and caregiving needs may change across the dementia trajectory as cognitive, behavioral, and functional changes alter day-to-day care demands. Digital interventions may not fully address caregivers' evolving and heterogeneous needs and preferences. This study aimed to develop a user-centered mobile application informed by caregiver-identified needs and preferences across the dementia trajectory and to evaluate its effectiveness.

methodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted following a qualitative intervention-development phase. The intervention was developed in accordance with the Medical Research Council framework for complex interventions and informed by principles of person-centered dementia care and qualitative interviews with informal caregivers. The application provided dementia education; communication and daily-care guidance organized to reflect changing caregiving needs; guidance for behavioral and psychological symptoms; caregiver self-care and stress-management resources; information on formal and informal support services; and customizable reminders. Caregivers were randomized to receive usual care with access to the mobile application for 8 weeks or usual care alone. Outcomes included caregiver burden (Zarit Burden Interview), quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF), neuropsychiatric symptoms (Neuropsychiatric Inventory), and caregiver distress related to these symptoms. System usability was assessed post-intervention in the intervention group. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and week 8 using repeated-measures analysis of variance.

resultsA total of 86 caregivers were randomized, of whom 75 were included in the analysis (intervention, n = 37; control, n = 38). Significant group-by-time interactions were observed for overall quality of life (p < 0.001) and the psychological domain (p < 0.001), with greater improvements in the intervention group than in the control group. No significant group-by-time interactions were observed for caregiver burden, neuropsychiatric symptom severity, or caregiver distress. The application demonstrated good usability at week 8.

conclusionsThe user-centered mobile application was associated with improvements in overall and psychological quality of life among participants included in the 8-week analysis, while no significant intervention effects were observed for caregiver burden, neuropsychiatric symptoms, or caregiver distress. Larger studies with longer follow-up and more detailed assessment of application engagement are needed to evaluate the durability and broader effects of the intervention.

trial registrationThis trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (Registration number: NCT06179667 , Date of registration: 27 November 2023).

Indexed as

CaregiversDementiaMobile ApplicationsUser-Centered DesignAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuality of LifeCaregiver burdenCaregiversDementiaDigital interventionMobile applicationsNeuropsychiatric symptomsQuality of lifeUser-centered design

Identifiers

PMID42701191
PMCPMC13546512

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.