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A Web-Based Platform (CareVirtue) to Support Caregivers of People Living With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias: Mixed Methods Feasibility Study
Boutilier JJ, Loganathar P, Linden A, Scheer E, Noejovich S, Elliott C, Zuraw M, Werner NE.. JMIR aging, 2022-08-04
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background People living with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) require prolonged and complex care that is primarily managed by informal caregivers who face significant unmet needs regarding support for communicating and coordinating across their informal care network. (4) What factors were associated with CareVirtue use? Results Care networks ranged from 1 to 8 members. The average confidence score increased significantly over the study duration from 7.8 in week 2 to 8.9 in week 7 (P=.005; r=0.91, 95% CI 0.84-0.95). The following sociodemographic characteristics were associated with posting in the journal: retired (mean 59.5 posts for retired caregivers and mean 16.9 for nonretired caregivers), income (mean 13 posts for those reporting >US $100K and mean 55.4 for those reporting Conclusions This study establishes the acceptability and feasibility of CareVirtue among ADRD care networks and highlights the importance of designing flexible, multicomponent interventions that allow care networks to tailor their engagement according to their needs. The results will be used to improve CareVirtue feasibility and acceptability in preparation for a subsequent randomized trial to test CareVirtue's effectiveness in improving caregiver outcomes.
Key findings
- Background People living with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) require prolonged and complex care that is primarily managed by informal caregivers who face significant unmet needs regarding support for communicating and coordinating across their informal care network.
- (4) What factors were associated with CareVirtue use?
- Results Care networks ranged from 1 to 8 members.
- The average confidence score increased significantly over the study duration from 7.8 in week 2 to 8.9 in week 7 (P=.005; r=0.91, 95% CI 0.84-0.95).
- The following sociodemographic characteristics were associated with posting in the journal: retired (mean 59.5 posts for retired caregivers and mean 16.9 for nonretired caregivers), income (mean 13 posts for those reporting >US $100K and mean 55.4 for those reporting <US $100K), relationship to care recipient (mean 18.7 posts for child and mean 56.4 for partners/spouses), and living situation (mean 44.7 for those who live with the care recipient and mean 13.1 for those who do not).
Why it matters
This feasibility study tested a web-based platform to support caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, not a treatment for the disease itself. It found the platform acceptable and feasible and reported increased caregiver confidence, but it does not address treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designrandomized controlled trial
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 55/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (JMIR aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | JMIR Aging: journal h-index 49 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2022 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 16 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.7 citations a year over 6 year(s) since 2022 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 14 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Nicole E. Werner: h-index 37 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Wisconsin–Madison: institution h-index 1,518 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 35925654) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 55 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Boutilier, J. J., Loganathar, P., Linden, A., Scheer, E., Noejovich, S., Elliott, C., et al. (2022). A Web-Based Platform (CareVirtue) to Support Caregivers of People Living With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias: Mixed Methods Feasibility Study. JMIR aging. https://doi.org/10.2196/36975
Vancouver
Boutilier JJ, Loganathar P, Linden A, Scheer E, Noejovich S, Elliott C, et al. A Web-Based Platform (CareVirtue) to Support Caregivers of People Living With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias: Mixed Methods Feasibility Study. JMIR aging. 2022. doi:10.2196/36975. PMID: 35925654.
BibTeX
@article{boutilier2022-35925654,
author = {Boutilier, J. J. and Loganathar, P. and Linden, A. and Scheer, E. and Noejovich, S. and Elliott, C. and Zuraw, M. and Werner, N. E.},
title = {{A Web-Based Platform (CareVirtue) to Support Caregivers of People Living With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias: Mixed Methods Feasibility Study}},
journal = {JMIR aging},
year = {2022},
doi = {10.2196/36975},
pmid = {35925654},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2196/36975}
}
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