Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Health App Recommendation Tool
ConditionAlzheimers Disease Related Dementias
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-65
SponsorUniversity of Pittsburgh
About this trial
This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the Health App Recommendation Tool (HART), an evidence-based tool that evaluates app features and matches them to the needs, abilities, and preferences of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) or their caregivers. This novel tool is not an app in and of itself, but rather an assessment tool used to determine how well suited a given app is for a member of the ADRD or caregiver population.
Specifically, the objective of this research is to assess the acceptability of the current HART design among target end-users in their individual contexts. The overarching goal of this project is to connect those in the ADRD community with available, usable, and effective digital tools to promote the highest possible level of health and wellness in community settings.
To achieve this goal, the study will recruit 15 family caregivers living with their loved ones with ADRD, who will trial HART and provide feedback. Participation will include two data collection sessions (pre-intervention and post-intervention) within a four-week trial period. Participants will be asked to complete the HART, explore the recommended apps, and provide feedback on HART's usability through several brief surveys.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Aged between 18 and 65
Serving as an active caregiver for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia
Have access to smart devices such as smartphones, tablets, or smartwatches
Disqualifiers
Individuals with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, or with severe cognitive decline, will be excluded
Participants who do not provide caregiving on a routine basis (e.g., part-time or secondary caregivers) will be excluded
Participants who do not own or have access to any smart device will be excluded
Trial design
Design model
Single group
Treatments tested in this trial
Health App Recommendation Tool (HART)
Other interventionIn 2023, over 11 million family members provided 19.2 billion hours of unpaid care for people with dementia in the U.S. Caregivers face significant physical and emotional challenges, while many individuals with ADRD prefer to stay in their homes. Mobile health apps offer support but often lack user-friendly guidance and are hard to navigate. The Health App Recommendation Tool (HART) bridges this gap by assisting ADRD caregivers in finding suitable health apps. It evaluates users' daily needs and preferences, using end-user informed points of measurement to match them with objectively reviewed apps within the HART App Library. This user-centered tool, shaped by ongoing feedback, simplifies app discovery, ensuring personalized recommendations that enhance caregiving and improve quality of life.
Treatment groups
15 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment groupGroup A: HART UseExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF)
The WHOQOL-BREF, developed by the World Health Organization, is a measure of perceived quality of life. It includes 26 items across Physical Health, Psychological, Social Relationships, and Environment domains, along with two stand-alone global items assessing overall quality of life and health. Each domain score is transformed to a 0-100 scale, with higher scores indicative of a better quality of life.
Time frame
Baseline and 4 week follow-up2
36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36)
The SF-36 is a widely used measure of health-related quality of life that captures eight dimensions: Physical Functioning, Role Limitations due to Physical Health, Bodily Pain, General Health, Vitality, Social Functioning, Role Limitations due to Emotional Problems, and Mental Health. All items are scored from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicative of better health status. Scale scores are produced by averaging scores across items in that respective scale.
Time frame
Baseline and 4 week follow-up3
Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4)
The PHQ-4 is an brief screening tool designed to assess anxiety and depressive symptoms over the past two weeks. It contains four items, each rated from 0 ("not at all") to 3 ("nearly every day"). Subscale scores for anxiety and depression range from 0-6 each, and the total score ranges from 0-12, with higher scores indicating greater psychological distress. Total scores of 0-2 suggest no distress, 3-5 mild, 6-8 moderate, and 9-12 severe distress.
Time frame
Baseline and 4 week follow-up4
Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI)
The Zarit Burden Interview assesses the level of burden experienced by informal caregivers. The 22 items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 0 ("never") to 4 ("nearly always"), yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 88. Higher scores indicate greater perceived caregiver burden. Typical interpretive ranges classify scores of 0-21 as little or no burden, 21-40 as mild to moderate burden, 41-60 as moderate to severe burden, and 61-88 as severe burden.
Time frame
Baseline and 4 week follow-upSecondary outcomes
1
Davis Usability Surveys
The Davis Usability Survey, based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), evaluates several constructs that impact technology adoption: Perceived Usefulness (PU), Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU), and Attitudes Towards Use (ATU). Each subscale contians 7, 10, and 6 items respectively rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with higher values indicating more favorable perceptions of usability and acceptance. Subscale scores are calculated by averaging the items within each domain.
Time frame
4 week follow-upSponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov