Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: May 15, 2025
Date Accepted: Nov 3, 2025
Informal carers’ experiences of an online support programme: a qualitative study using an abductive approach focusing on scaling up usage
ABSTRACT
Background:
Informal carers to persons with heart failure lack support. A co-designed online support programme with and for carers is being evaluated in a multicentre RCT.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to identify facilitators and barriers to reflect on implementation strategies for scaling up usage, based on the experiences of informal carers of persons with heart failure who had access to online support programme.
Methods:
This study used an abductive approach to describe carers' experiences and identify barriers and facilitators. Fifteen informal carers included in an RCT were interviewed. Interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The Digital Health Engagement Model was used to identify barriers and facilitators for scaling up usage.
Results:
Reflected what affected carers engagement and the potential outcomes from engaging with the content. Engagement was influenced by the online format, delivery of the intervention, personal motives, and everyday life events. The programme provided a positive experience, and could lead to benefits for carers, their families and the person with heart failure. By utilising these experiences and employing DIEGO, barriers and facilitators for engaging with the digital intervention were identified and used for reflection on tailored implementation strategies.
Conclusions:
A modified DIEGO was valuable for identifying barriers and facilitators through carers’ experiences. These provided a ground for reflection on implementation strategies for scaling up the use of the support programme. These should focus on active outreach to make carers aware of the support programme, supporting endorsements from relevant sources, and adapting the intervention to enhance usability.
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