Establishing the effectiveness of technology-enabled dementia education for health and social care practitioners: a systematic review

Use of Educational Technology in Inclusive Primary Education: Protocol for a Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Educational technology (EdTech) has been instrumental in the last few decades in promoting inclusive education by overcoming various learning barriers and offering tools and opportunities to all students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). However, there is limited understanding of current classroom practices and policies and of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on EdTech use in the inclusive classroom.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aims to outline the current knowledge on the use of EdTech to support the learning of students with SEND in inclusive primary schools in high-income countries.

METHODS

We followed the PRISMA-P (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols) and the Generalized Systematic Review Registration Form in reporting the details of this protocol. The inclusion criteria for the systematic review require that studies focus on students with SEND who are attending the primary stage of school in high-income countries. The studies can be qualitative or quantitative and should explore the design and use of EdTech with these students. Eligible studies must be published between 2016 and 2024, be peer-reviewed, and be available in English. We systematically searched the ACM, Directory of Open Access Journals, British Educational Index, ERIC, Google Scholar (first 100 records), IEEE, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The titles and abstracts of all records will be screened for relevance according to the inclusion criteria. Following this, the full text of the articles will be screened. To ensure the reliability of the screening process, an independent reviewer will screen a percentage of the records for the first screening round. The data extraction process for this systematic review will start with a pilot stage to validate and eventually update the list of entities to be extracted. Following the pilot stage, the final data extraction will be undertaken. An independent reviewer will extract data from a subsample of the records to ensure the reliability of the data extraction process.

RESULTS

The database search was conducted in July 2024. The database search identified a total of 547 records. It is anticipated that the study findings will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal by the end of January 2025.

CONCLUSIONS

This study will provide up-to-date evidence of the use of EdTech in inclusive primary school settings in high-income countries and will describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the use of EdTech with students with SEND.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/65045.

Identifying Research Priorities in Digital Education for Health Care: Umbrella Review and Modified Delphi Method Study

BACKGROUND

In recent years, the use of digital technology in the education of health care professionals has surged, partly driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is still a need for focused research to establish evidence of its effectiveness.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to define the gaps in the evidence for the efficacy of digital education and to identify priority areas where future research has the potential to contribute to our understanding and use of digital education.

METHODS

We used a 2-stage approach to identify research priorities. First, an umbrella review of the recent literature (published between 2020 and 2023) was performed to identify and build on existing work. Second, expert consensus on the priority research questions was obtained using a modified Delphi method.

RESULTS

A total of 8857 potentially relevant papers were identified. Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology, we included 217 papers for full review. All papers were either systematic reviews or meta-analyses. A total of 151 research recommendations were extracted from the 217 papers. These were analyzed, recategorized, and consolidated to create a final list of 63 questions. From these, a modified Delphi process with 42 experts was used to produce the top-five rated research priorities: (1) How do we measure the learning transfer from digital education into the clinical setting? (2) How can we optimize the use of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning to facilitate education and training? (3) What are the methodological requirements for high-quality rigorous studies assessing the outcomes of digital health education? (4) How does the design of digital education interventions (eg, format and modality) in health professionals' education and training curriculum affect learning outcomes? and (5) How should learning outcomes in the field of health professions' digital education be defined and standardized?

CONCLUSIONS

This review provides a prioritized list of research gaps in digital education in health care, which will be of use to researchers, educators, education providers, and funding agencies. Additional proposals are discussed regarding the next steps needed to advance this agenda, aiming to promote meaningful and practical research on the use of digital technologies and drive excellence in health care education.

Gaps in the System: Supporting People Living with Dementia

Persons living with dementia and their caregivers often face challenges in accessing support for their complex needs. This study aims to understand how program administrators, people living with dementia, unpaid caregivers, and decision-makers perceive specific dementia care programs and whether they are adequately meeting the needs of individuals living with dementia. Forty semi-structured interviews were conducted between 2018 and 2020 in five North American jurisdictions. Three main gaps were identified (1) disconnected system infrastructure, (2) lack of comprehensive services to meet diverse needs, and (3) inconsistent understandings of dementia. Despite having programs in place, there remain significant limitations in systems that could be addressed to adequately meet the needs of individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.

Facilitators, barriers and impacts to implementing dementia care training for staff in long-term care settings by using fully immersive virtual reality: a scoping review protocol

INTRODUCTION

The rapid growth of the ageing population underscores the critical need for dementia care training among care providers. Innovative virtual reality (VR) technology has created opportunities to improve dementia care training. This scoping review will specifically focus on the barriers, facilitators and impacts of implementing fully immersive VR training for dementia care among staff in long-term care (LTC) settings.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute's scoping review methodology to ensure scientific rigour. We will collect literature of all languages with abstracts in English from CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science and ProQuest database until 31 December 2023. Grey literature from Google Scholar and AgeWell websites will be included. Inclusion criteria encompass papers involving paid staff (Population), fully immersive VR training on dementia care (Concept) and LTC settings (Context). Literature referring only to non-paid caregivers, non-fully immersive VR or other chronic diseases will be excluded. Literature screening, data extraction and analysis will be conducted by two reviewers separately. We will present a narrative summary with a charting table on the main findings.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This work does not require ethics approval, given the public data availability for this scoping review. Through a comprehensive overview of the current evidence regarding impacts, barriers and facilitators on this topic, potential insights and practical recommendations will be generated to support the implementation of VR training to enhance staff competence in LTC settings. The findings will be presented in a journal article and shared with practitioners on the frontline.

2024 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures

This article describes the public health impact of Alzheimer's disease (AD), including prevalence and incidence, mortality and morbidity, use and costs of care and the ramifications of AD for family caregivers, the dementia workforce and society. The Special Report discusses the larger health care system for older adults with cognitive issues, focusing on the role of caregivers and non-physician health care professionals. An estimated 6.9 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia today. This number could grow to 13.8 million by 2060, barring the development of medical breakthroughs to prevent or cure AD. Official AD death certificates recorded 119,399 deaths from AD in 2021. In 2020 and 2021, when COVID-19 entered the ranks of the top ten causes of death, Alzheimer's was the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States. Official counts for more recent years are still being compiled. Alzheimer's remains the fifth-leading cause of death among Americans age 65 and older. Between 2000 and 2021, deaths from stroke, heart disease and HIV decreased, whereas reported deaths from AD increased more than 140%. More than 11 million family members and other unpaid caregivers provided an estimated 18.4 billion hours of care to people with Alzheimer's or other dementias in 2023. These figures reflect a decline in the number of caregivers compared with a decade earlier, as well as an increase in the amount of care provided by each remaining caregiver. Unpaid dementia caregiving was valued at $346.6 billion in 2023. Its costs, however, extend to unpaid caregivers' increased risk for emotional distress and negative mental and physical health outcomes. Members of the paid health care and broader community-based workforce are involved in diagnosing, treating and caring for people with dementia. However, the United States faces growing shortages across different segments of the dementia care workforce due to a combination of factors, including the absolute increase in the number of people living with dementia. Therefore, targeted programs and care delivery models will be needed to attract, better train and effectively deploy health care and community-based workers to provide dementia care. Average per-person Medicare payments for services to beneficiaries age 65 and older with AD or other dementias are almost three times as great as payments for beneficiaries without these conditions, and Medicaid payments are more than 22 times as great. Total payments in 2024 for health care, long-term care and hospice services for people age 65 and older with dementia are estimated to be $360 billion. The Special Report investigates how caregivers of older adults with cognitive issues interact with the health care system and examines the role non-physician health care professionals play in facilitating clinical care and access to community-based services and supports. It includes surveys of caregivers and health care workers, focusing on their experiences, challenges, awareness and perceptions of dementia care navigation.

North Macedonia interprofessional dementia care (NOMAD) - personalized care plans for people with dementia and caregiver psychoeducation delivered at home by interprofessional teams

Introduction

The increasing number of people living with dementia and its burden on families and systems particularly in low- and middle-income countries require comprehensive and efficient post-diagnostic management. This study aimed to explore the acceptability and efficacy of a multi-professional case management and psychoeducation model (North Macedonia Interprofessional Dementia Care, or NOMAD) delivered by mobile teams for people with dementia and their caregivers in North Macedonia.

Method

We conducted a two-arm randomized controlled trial comparing the intervention with treatment as usual. Participants were recruited from 12 general practitioner (GP) offices in the Skopje region. The NOMAD intervention included the delivery of a personalized care plan over four home visits to dyads of people with dementia and their caregivers by a team including a dementia nurse and a social worker, in collaboration with GPs and dementia experts, and the introduction of a caregiver manual. We assessed caregivers' depressive symptoms, burden, and quality of life and the neuropsychiatric symptoms, daily living activities, and service utilization of people with dementia at baseline and follow-up; we also assessed the acceptability of the intervention by analyzing case notes and attendance rates.

Results

One hundred and twenty dyads were recruited and randomized to either the control (n = 60) or the intervention group (n = 60). At follow-up, caregivers in the intervention group had, on average, scores that were 2.69 lower for depressive symptoms (95% CI [-4.75, -0.62], p = 0.012), and people with dementia had, on average, 11.32 fewer neuropsychiatric symptoms (95% CI [-19.74, -2.90], p = 0.009) and used, on average, 1.81 fewer healthcare services (95% CI [-2.61, -1.00], p < 0.001) compared to the control group. The completion of the home visits was 100%, but the intervention's acceptability was underpinned by relationship building, GP competencies, and resources to support families with dementia. There were no differences in the caregivers' quality of life and burden levels or daily living activities in people with dementia. NOMAD is the first case management, non-pharmacological, and multi-professional intervention tested in North Macedonia.

Discussion

The trial showed that it is effective in reducing caregivers' depressive symptoms and neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with dementia and the burden on health and social care services, and it is acceptable for families. Implementing NOMAD in practice will require building primary care capacity and recognizing dementia as a national priority.

Impact of a short-duration experiential learning activity on DPT students' attitudes toward patients living with a dementia

Healthcare practitioners (HCP) have expressed inadequate preparation in providing care to patients living with a dementia. Research suggests experiential learning activities (ELAs) can improve HCP knowledge and comfort toward this population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a short-duration (2-hour) dementia ELA on Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students' knowledge and comfort toward individuals living with a dementia. Participants included a sample of first-year DPT students (n=82).  In this pre-experimental, single-site, longitudinal study, students participated in an ELA at a memory care facility. They completed a dementia knowledge and comfort survey pre-(T1) and post-ELA(T2), as well as prior to their first clinical experience (nine months post-ELA; T3). Pre- and post-survey analysis demonstrated significant improvements between T1 to T2 and T1 to T3 with overall effect sizes ranging from very large (d=1.256) to huge (d=1.520). There were no significant differences between T2 to T3 analysis. Students demonstrated positive improvements in attitudes toward individuals living with a dementia following this ELA. Improvements were maintained over time. An ELA as short as two hours may improve person-centered care for patients living with a dementia. These types of activities should be considered for inclusion in DPT curricula.

Dementia Education for Workforce Excellence: Evaluation of a Novel Bichronous Approach

Dementia education and training for workforce development is becoming increasingly important in bridging knowledge gaps among health and social care practitioners in the UK and internationally. Dementia Education for Workforce Excellence (DEWE) was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, blending both synchronous and asynchronous instruction and delivered across three different contexts: care homes, home care, and nurse education within the UK and India. This study aimed to evaluate DEWE using mixed methods with online survey data analyzed descriptively and interview data analyzed thematically. Integration of survey and interview data aimed toward a comprehensive evaluation of this novel approach for dementia workforce development. Thirty-four social care practitioners and nurse educators completed the online survey demonstrating high-level learner satisfaction, learning gains, behavioral change, and motivation to share new knowledge. Four key themes developed from the analysis of interviews (n = 9) around participants' pursuit of new knowledge; delivery modes in DEWE; learning gains and impact of DEWE; and adaptations for future program implementation. Findings suggest DEWE is an innovative resource that promotes person- and relationship-centered dementia care across all stages of one's dementia journey. Cultural adaptations are recommended for international delivery to ensure contextual alignment and maximum impact.

2023 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures

This article describes the public health impact of Alzheimer's disease, including prevalence and incidence, mortality and morbidity, use and costs of care, and the overall impact on family caregivers, the dementia workforce and society. The Special Report examines the patient journey from awareness of cognitive changes to potential treatment with drugs that change the underlying biology of Alzheimer's. An estimated 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia today. This number could grow to 13.8 million by 2060 barring the development of medical breakthroughs to prevent, slow or cure AD. Official death certificates recorded 121,499 deaths from AD in 2019, and Alzheimer's disease was officially listed as the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. In 2020 and 2021, when COVID-19 entered the ranks of the top ten causes of death, Alzheimer's was the seventh-leading cause of death. Alzheimer's remains the fifth-leading cause of death among Americans age 65 and older. Between 2000 and 2019, deaths from stroke, heart disease and HIV decreased, whereas reported deaths from AD increased more than 145%. This trajectory of deaths from AD was likely exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. More than 11 million family members and other unpaid caregivers provided an estimated 18 billion hours of care to people with Alzheimer's or other dementias in 2022. These figures reflect a decline in the number of caregivers compared with a decade earlier, as well as an increase in the amount of care provided by each remaining caregiver. Unpaid dementia caregiving was valued at $339.5 billion in 2022. Its costs, however, extend to family caregivers' increased risk for emotional distress and negative mental and physical health outcomes - costs that have been aggravated by COVID-19. Members of the paid health care workforce are involved in diagnosing, treating and caring for people with dementia. In recent years, however, a shortage of such workers has developed in the United States. This shortage - brought about, in part, by COVID-19 - has occurred at a time when more members of the dementia care workforce are needed. Therefore, programs will be needed to attract workers and better train health care teams. Average per-person Medicare payments for services to beneficiaries age 65 and older with AD or other dementias are almost three times as great as payments for beneficiaries without these conditions, and Medicaid payments are more than 22 times as great. Total payments in 2023 for health care, long-term care and hospice services for people age 65 and older with dementia are estimated to be $345 billion. The Special Report examines whether there will be sufficient numbers of physician specialists to provide Alzheimer's care and treatment now that two drugs are available that change the underlying biology of Alzheimer's disease.

A web-based information intervention for family caregivers of patients with Dementia: A randomized controlled trial

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a web-based health information intervention on knowledge, care burden and attitudes of family caregivers of patients with dementia. This study is a unblinded randomised controlled trial. The study population consisted of family caregivers of patients with dementia ( n = 50) which were randomly allocated to the intervention group (access to the web-based health information) or control group (access to information as usual). The participants completed knowledge, care burden and attitude questionnaire at baseline and at two months follow-up. A total of 50 caregivers participated in this study. Before the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference between the knowledge, care burden and attitude score between the two groups ( p > 0.001). In comparison to the control group after the intervention, participants in the intervention group showed significant improvements in all outcomes ( p < 0.001). These findings provide further evidence that web-based information interventions helped caregivers feel more confident, empathetic and concerned about dementia care with less care burden.