E-care 4 caregivers

Background: Informal caregivers are highly important in everyday life for depressed patients. Yet, informal caregivers experience more overburdening, stress- and anxiety symptoms. Methods and design: An online self-management intervention will be developed and studied in a pilot-RCT (N=40). In stage one, the intervention will be developed using results from a literature study and two focus groups (professionals and ‘experts by experience’). In stage two, participants will be recruited and randomly assigned to one of two conditions: experimental and waitlist control group. Participants will be assessed at baseline and post-test. Primary outcome measure is subjective experienced burden. Secondary outcome measures are psychological stress, depression, anxiety and quality of life. A qualitative analysis will be performed post-intervention assessing user-friendliness and feasibility satisfaction. Discussion: This intervention could potentially benefit informal caregivers as well as patients and professionals indirectly. It could also lead to a more comprehensive healthcare structure around depressed people.

This pilot intervention has two main hypotheses: 1) The online self-management course for the non-professional caregiver of a depressive patient is accessible and feasible; and 2), The online self-management course will increase mental resilience and self-reliance, improve quality of life, prevents and/or decreases subjective experienced burden and psychological symptoms in the non-professional caregiver (depression, anxiety and stress).

There will be a pre-and a post-test measurement, using the following questionnaires: Kessler-10, Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale, EUROQOOL, Pearlin Mastery Scale, Zarit Burden Interview and the System Usability Scale. There will also be a qualitative semi-structured telephone interview post-intervention.

Intervention group: online intervention based on CBT principles and psychoeducation, waitlist control group.