Abstract:
Background: Informal carers of dementia face challenges in managing behavioural and
psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). mHealth applications are sustainable solutions to
help them. Nevertheless, mHealth applications concerning dementia are not available in Sri Lanka,
and little is known about carers’ challenges in providing care for BPSD and the use of mHealth
applications.
Objective: To assess informal carers’ knowledge of dementia, carer burden in caring for BPSD,
smartphone availability and perception towards mHealth application information seeking
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a convenience sample of informal
carers of people with dementia (n=203). They were recruited from three psycho-geriatric and
neurology clinics in Colombo. An interviewer-administered questionnaire consisting of socio
demographics, dementia knowledge assessment scale, Zarit Burden Scale (screening version),
Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire, smartphone availability, mHealth experience, and
perception towards mHealth applications was used. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s Chi-square
and Spearman correlation were computed.
Results: The majority was female (70.4%), with a mean±SD age of 53.04±13.79. The mean
dementia knowledge score was 17.60±7.12 out of 50, and 88.7% of respondents experienced a
carer burden. The median scores for the BPSD prevalence and BPSD severity were 6 out of 12
and 11 out of 36, respectively. Positive correlations (p<0.001) were found between carer burden
with BPSD prevalence (rs=0.38) and BPSD severity (rs=0.41). From the sample, 63.5% owned
smartphones, and 15% used mHealth to seek health information. The perceived usefulness
(83.23%) and perceived convenience (66.99%) of mHealth information-seeking were high. The
perceived usefulness was positively associated with knowledge of dementia (2=4.19; p=0.041),
smartphone ownership (2=32.54; p<0.001), and readiness to spend time (2=27.47; p<0.001) and
money (2=27.46; p<0.001) on mHealth application information-seeking.
Conclusions: The findings highlighted the need for addressing knowledge deficiencies and the
burden of informal carers of people with dementia who provide care for BPSD. Carers have the
resources and positive perception to use an mHealth application. Smartphone literacy should be
further explored.
