JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability and often transfers substantial care responsibilities to family and informal caregivers. These demands contribute to multidimensional caregiver burden and reduced quality of life (QoL), including psychological distress, social limitations, and financial strain. Digital health interventions—such as mobile applications, messaging-based education, telehealth, and web-based platforms—have the potential to extend caregiver support beyond conventional face-to-face services; however, evidence regarding their impact on caregiver QoL remains heterogeneous.

Objective:

This scoping review aimed to map and characterize digital health interventions used in stroke caregiving and to summarize their associations with caregiver QoL–related outcomes, including caregiver burden, psychological well-being, empowerment or capability, usability, and access.

Methods:

A scoping review was conducted in accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidance and reported following PRISMA-ScR. Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Google Scholar for English-language studies published between 2019 and 2025. Two reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data using a standardized charting form. Evidence was mapped descriptively by intervention type, delivery characteristics, study design maturity, and caregiver outcome domains.

Results:

From 676 identified records, 20 studies met the inclusion criteria. Digital interventions were primarily delivered through mobile applications, WhatsApp-based education, telehealth services, or web-based learning platforms. Direct caregiver-focused studies commonly assessed caregiver burden, psychological distress, and caregiving capability, while system-integrated mHealth programs mainly reported patient outcomes with indirect relevance to caregivers. Overall, digital education and follow-up support were associated with reduced caregiver burden and improved caregiver capability and emotional well-being, although outcome measures and follow-up durations varied. Usability, digital literacy, affordability, and connectivity were recurrent barriers.

Conclusions:

Digital health interventions show promise in improving caregiver QoL in stroke care, particularly through structured education and ongoing support. Future studies should emphasize rigorous caregiver-centered trials, standardized QoL measures, longer follow-up, and inclusive designs addressing digital equity.