About the Project
Dementia caregiving in Ghana is predominantly informal, with family members providing long-term care in the absence of structured support systems. This places substantial psychological, financial, and social burdens on caregivers, often without access to professional guidance or respite services. Tele-support systems, defined as the use of digital platforms such as mobile applications, teleconsultations, and messaging services, offer a scalable approach to bridging gaps in caregiver support. In…
Ghana, increasing mobile phone penetration presents an opportunity to deploy tele-support interventions tailored to sociocultural contexts. However, evidence on their acceptability and effectiveness among family caregivers remains limited. This study addresses this gap through the design and evaluation of a culturally appropriate tele-support intervention, contributing to digital health research and policy in resource-constrained settings.
Aims/Objectives
Aim: To evaluate the acceptability and effectiveness of a culturally tailored tele-support system for family caregivers of persons living with dementia in Ghana.
Objectives:
- To co-develop a tele-support intervention with key stakeholders, including family caregivers, healthcare professionals, and digital health experts.
- To assess the acceptability, usability, and engagement with the tele-support system among family caregivers.
- To determine the effectiveness of the intervention in reducing family caregiver burden, improving mental health outcomes, and enhancing caregiving competence.
- To identify facilitators and barriers to the implementation and scale-up of tele-support systems in Ghana.
Methods: This study will adopt a sequential mixed-methods design. Phase one will involve participatory co-design of the tele-support system with family caregivers and healthcare professionals, incorporating remote consultations, education, peer support, and symptom monitoring. Phase two will use a quasi-experimental design comparing intervention and standard care groups. Phase three will employ qualitative interviews and focus group discussions to explore user experiences, acceptability, and implementation challenges, alongside quantitative data analysis to inform scalability and sustainability.
