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Digital health interventions for urinary tract infection prevention and management in people living with dementia and their family caregivers: a scoping review
Kuan-Ching Wu, Basia L. Belza, Donna Lynn Berry, Frances Marcus Lewis, Andrea L. Hartzler, Oleg Zaslavsky. The Gerontologist, 2025-12-28
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Seven studies were included from 1,800 screened. Three digital interventions were evaluated: Technology Integrated Health Management (TIHM), a real-time locating system (RTLS), and a smart diaper system (SDS). The TIHM and RTLS showed high effectiveness in UTI detection, with sensitivities up to 91%, while the SDS had lower sensitivity. DISCUSSION AND The review highlights the potential of sensor-based technology and AI in early UTI detection. However, most interventions lack theoretical foundations and preventive strategies, suggesting a need for more comprehensive approaches involving caregivers and clinical guidelines.
Key findings
- Seven studies were included from 1,800 screened.
- Three digital interventions were evaluated: Technology Integrated Health Management (TIHM), a real-time locating system (RTLS), and a smart diaper system (SDS).
- The TIHM and RTLS showed high effectiveness in UTI detection, with sensitivities up to 91%, while the SDS had lower sensitivity.
- DISCUSSION AND The review highlights the potential of sensor-based technology and AI in early UTI detection.
- However, most interventions lack theoretical foundations and preventive strategies, suggesting a need for more comprehensive approaches involving caregivers and clinical guidelines.
Why it matters
Sensor-based digital tools such as Technology Integrated Health Management and a real-time locating system showed high effectiveness in detecting urinary tract infections in people with dementia, while a smart diaper system had lower sensitivity. However, most interventions lacked theoretical foundations and preventive strategies, so more comprehensive approaches involving caregivers and clinical guidelines are needed.
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Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 51/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies. 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 (The Gerontologist) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | The Gerontologist: journal h-index 238 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies |
| 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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 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 | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Oleg Zaslavsky: h-index 32 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | University of Washington: institution h-index 3,540 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41460179) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 51 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Wu, K.-C., Belza, B. L., Berry, D. L., Lewis, F. M., Hartzler, A. L., & Zaslavsky, O. (2025). Digital health interventions for urinary tract infection prevention and management in people living with dementia and their family caregivers: a scoping review. The Gerontologist. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaf268
Vancouver
Wu K.-C, Belza BL, Berry DL, Lewis FM, Hartzler AL, Zaslavsky O. Digital health interventions for urinary tract infection prevention and management in people living with dementia and their family caregivers: a scoping review. The Gerontologist. 2025. doi:10.1093/geront/gnaf268. PMID: 41460179.
BibTeX
@article{wu2025-41460179,
author = {Wu, Kuan-Ching and Belza, Basia L. and Berry, Donna Lynn and Lewis, Frances Marcus and Hartzler, Andrea L. and Zaslavsky, Oleg},
title = {{Digital health interventions for urinary tract infection prevention and management in people living with dementia and their family caregivers: a scoping review}},
journal = {The Gerontologist},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1093/geront/gnaf268},
pmid = {41460179},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaf268}
}
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