Top

Trials

Published in:

Open Access 01-12-2022 | Mood Disorders | Study protocol

Effect of “Mehrpishegan” web-based support group on depression, anxiety, and stress among elderly informal caregivers: a protocol for a randomized-controlled trial

Authors: Fatemeh Rahimi, Elham Shakibazadeh, Mahnaz Ashoorkhani, Hamed Hosseini, Mahshid Foroughan

Published in: Trials | Issue 1/2022

Abstract

Background

Elderly population in low- and middle-income countries is rapidly growing, which indicates an increase in the number of dependent people needing long-term care. Caring for the elderly is difficult and stressful and threatens physical and mental health of informal caregivers. We aim to design a web-based support group and assess its effectiveness on depression, anxiety, and stress among elderly informal caregivers.

Methods

This is a protocol for a two-arm randomized controlled trial. A total of 160 informal elderly caregivers will be recruited from the southern area of Tehran. Eligible participants will be randomly allocated to two intervention and control groups. The inclusion criteria include not receiving salary for caring, having primary responsibility for care, having smartphone/tablet/computer, being able to use the contents and web applications, having at least one month of experience in caring for the elderly, and having access to the Internet at least once weekly. The intervention will be implemented by giving an account access to the designed website. Depression, anxiety, and stress will be assessed using the DASS21 questionnaire at baseline, and at the end of third and sixth months.

Discussion

Our findings can pave the way for improving the mental health of informal caregivers of the elderly through provision of web-based supportive services. This study stands as an opportunity to address the needs of caregivers and help them support each other in a novel way.

Trial registration

Iran Randomized Clinical Trial Center IRCT20201012048999N1. Registered on 25 December 2020 (current status: ongoing).

The World Health Organization Trial Registration Data Set is in Additional file 1

Protocol version

Second version 2021-05-27

Available only for authorised users

World Health Organisation. Mental health of older adults. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-of-older-adults.Accessed. Accessed 20 May 2013.

United Nations. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Population Division (2015). World Population Ageing 2015 (ST/ESA/SER.A/390).

Noroozian M. The elderly population in iran: an ever growing concern in the health system. Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci. 2012;6(2):1–6.PubMedPubMedCentral

Manoochehry S, Rasouli HR. Iranian population policy and aging: new health concerns. Int J Travel Med Glob Health. 2017;5(2):70–1. https://doi.org/10.15171/ijtmgh.2017.14.CrossRef

Brenna E, Di Novi C. Is caring for older parents detrimental to women’s mental health? The role of the European North–South gradient. Rev Econ Househ. 2015;14(4):745–78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11150-015-9296-7.CrossRef

Kepic M, Randolph A, Hermann-Turner KM. Care for caregivers: understanding the need for caregiver support. Adultspan J. 2019;18(1):40–51. https://doi.org/10.1002/adsp.12068.CrossRef

Goodarzi N. Investigating the relation of depression,anxiety and stress with family functioning and its dimension in family caregiversof the elderly suffering from dementia of which referred to Iran Alzheimer Association in 1394. Tehran: University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation; 2016. Persian

Pinto JM. Barriers to social participation in caregivers of older people: a systematic review. Res Health Sci. 2016;1(2):78–84. https://doi.org/10.22158/rhs.v1n2p78.CrossRef

Zhong Y, Wang J, Nicholas S. Social support and depressive symptoms among family caregivers of older people with disabilities in four provinces of urban China: the mediating role of caregiver burden. BMC Geriatr. 2020;20(1):3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-019-1403-9.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

10.

Perez-Cruz M, Parra-Anguita L, Lopez-Martinez C, Moreno-Camara S, Del-Pino-Casado R. Coping and anxiety in caregivers of dependent older adult relatives. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(9):1651. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16091651.CrossRefPubMedCentral

11.

Kim D. Relationships between caregiving stress, depression, and self-esteem in family caregivers of adults with a disability. Occup Ther Int. 2017;2017:1686143. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1686143.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

12.

Dam AEH, de Vugt ME, van Boxtel MPJ, Verhey FRJ. Effectiveness of an online social support intervention for caregivers of people with dementia: the study protocol of a randomised controlled trial. Trials. 2017;18(1):395. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-017-2097-y.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

13.

Vaughan C, Trail TE, Mahmud A, Dellva S, Tanielian T, Friedman E. Informal caregivers’ experiences and perceptions of a web-based peer support network: mixed-methods study. J Med Internet Res. 2018;20(8):e257. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9895.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

14.

Newman K, Wang AH, Wang AZY, Hanna D. The role of internet-based digital tools in reducing social isolation and addressing support needs among informal caregivers: a scoping review. BMC Public Health. 2019;19(1):1495. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7837-3.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

15.

Egan KJ, Pinto-Bruno ÁC, Bighelli I, Berg-Weger M, van Straten A, Albanese E, et al. Online training and support programs designed to improve mental health and reduce burden among caregivers of people with dementia: a systematic review. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2018;19(3):200–6.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2017.10.023.CrossRefPubMed

16.

Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Population and geographical area directly covered by Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Tehran: Statistics and Information Technology Management Center; 2018. Persian

17.

Chan A-W, Tetzlaff JM, Gøtzsche PC, Altman DG, Mann H, Berlin JA, et al. SPIRIT 2013 explanation and elaboration: guidance for protocols of clinical trials. BMJ. 2013;346:e7586. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e7586.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

18.

Sherifali D, Ali MU, Ploeg J, Markle-Reid M, Valaitis R, Bartholomew A, et al. Impact of Internet-based interventions on caregiver mental health: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Med Internet Res. 2018;20(7):e10668 https://www.jmir.org/2018/7/e10668/.CrossRef

19.

Cohen J. Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. New York: Academic Press; 2013.CrossRef

20.

Sahebi A, Asghari M, Salari R. Validation of Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) for an Iranian Population. J Develop Psychol Iran Psycholigist. 2005;1(4):36–54 Persian.

21.

Asghari A, Saed F, Dibajnia P. Psychometric properties of the depression anxiety stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) in a non-clinical Iranian sample. Int J Psychol. 2008;2(2):82–102.

22.

Samani S, Joukar B. A study on the reliability and validity of the short form of the depression, anxiety ,stress scale. J Soc Sci Human Shiraz Univ. 2007;26(3-52):65–77 Persian.

23.

Javadpour A, Ahmadzadeh L, Bahredar MJ. An educative support group for female family caregivers: impact on caregivers psychological distress and patient's neuropsychiatry symptoms. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2009;24(5):469–71. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.2138.CrossRefPubMed

24.

Mohammadi F, Babaee M. Effects of participation in support groups on Alzheimer’s family caregivers’ strain and spiritual wellbeing. Iran J Ageing. 2011;6(1):29–37 Persian.

25.

Vagharseyyedin SA, Zarei B, Esmaeili AM, Gholami M. The role of peer support group in subjective well-being of wives of war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2018;39(12):998–1003. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2018.1471760.CrossRef

26.

Taati F, Bahramnezhad F, Seyedfatemi N, Sharifi F, Navab E. The effect of participation in support groups on depression, anxiety and stress in family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s: randomized clinical trail. Int J Med Res Health Sci. 2016;5(7):256–62.

27.

Lami B, Rajai N, Pishgooie S, Habibi H, Manochehri Z. The effect of peer-based education on the psychological burden of family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia admitted to the military hospital. Milit Caring Sci. 2019;6(1):16–26. [Persian. https://doi.org/10.29252/MCS.6.1.16.CrossRef

28.

Salehi Nejad S, Azami M, Motamedi F, Bahaadinbeigy K, Sedighi B, Shahesmaili A. The effect of web-based information intervention in caregiving burden in caregivers of patients with dementia. J Health Biomed Inform. 2017;4(3):181–91 Persian.

Title: Effect of “Mehrpishegan” web-based support group on depression, anxiety, and stress among elderly informal caregivers: a protocol for a randomized-controlled trial
Authors: Fatemeh Rahimi
Elham Shakibazadeh
Mahnaz Ashoorkhani
Hamed Hosseini
Mahshid Foroughan
Publication date: 01-12-2022
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Mood Disorders
Affective Disorder
Anxiety
Published in: Trials / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1745-6215
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06351-4

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Effect of “Mehrpishegan” web-based support group on depression, anxiety, and stress among elderly informal caregivers: a protocol for a randomized-controlled trial

Abstract

Background

Methods

Discussion

Trial registration

Protocol version

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Discussion

Trial registration

Protocol version

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2022

Correction: Prophylaxis in healthcare workers during a pandemic: a model for a multi-centre international randomised controlled trial using Bayesian analyses

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation to reduce opioid consumption in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair: protocol for a randomized controlled trial

A comprehensive transfer program from pediatrics to adult care for parents of adolescents with chronic illness (ParTNerSTEPs): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Efficacy of platelet-rich plasma impregnation for unidirectional porous β-tricalcium phosphate in lateral lumbar interbody fusion: study protocol for a prospective controlled trial

PATHWEIGH, pragmatic weight management in adult patients in primary care in Colorado, USA: study protocol for a stepped wedge cluster randomized trial

Effect of time restricted feeding on anthropometric measures, eating behavior, stress, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) levels in women with overweight/obesity and food addiction: a study protocol for a randomized clinical trial