The purpose of this research study is to develop and test a text-messaging intervention for emergency department (ED) discharge care transitions experienced by caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
80
The CAPTURE intervention is a tailored, automated text messaging program designed to support care partners of persons living with cognitive impairment (PLWCI) during the 30-day period following an emergency department (ED) visit. It provides up to two messages per day, customized based on caregiver-identified needs, and addresses topics such as care transition guidance, symptom monitoring, caregiver well-being, community resources, and communication strategies. The content is evidence-informed and was developed through a user-centered design process involving caregivers and clinician stakeholders. Unlike generic text messaging interventions, CAPTURE specifically targets caregiver support needs in the acute post-ED setting for PLWCI.
Yale New Haven Hospital Emergency Departments
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Enrollment rates
Enrollment rate will be used to assess Feasibility.
Time frame: 30 days after ED visit
Message engagement
Message engagement, assessed via text message response and interaction metrics, will be used to assess Feasibility. Engagement will be operationalized through quantitative metrics including (1) the number of text messages delivered, (2) the number and proportion of text messages that received responses from care partners, (3) the time-to-response for interactive messages, and (4) the number of unique interactions per participant over the 30-day intervention period. These metrics will be captured via backend system logs of the text messaging platform used to deliver the intervention.
Time frame: 30 days after ED visit
Retention rate
Participant retention at 30 days post-enrollment, assessed through completion of final follow-up assessment Retention is defined as the proportion of enrolled care partners who remain active in the study and complete the 30-day follow-up assessment. Completion is operationalized as successfully providing outcome data through a structured telephone-based survey at the end of the 30-day intervention period. This includes response to caregiver-reported outcome measures collected by the research team (e.g., burden, satisfaction, preparedness). Retention rate will be calculated as a percentage: (# of participants who complete the 30-day follow-up ÷ total number enrolled) × 100. Participants lost to follow-up or who withdraw consent prior to completing the final assessment will be considered non-retained.
Time frame: 30 days after ED visit
System Usability Scale (SUS)
The System Usability Scale (SUS) will be used to assess the usability of the CAPTURE text message intervention. The SUS is a validated 10-item questionnaire that measures perceived ease of use, efficiency, and satisfaction with a digital system. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree), and item scores are converted to yield a total score ranging from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better usability. The SUS total score will be calculated for each participant at the 30-day follow-up. Mean and distributional statistics will be reported for the intervention group.
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Time frame: 30 days after ED visit
Acceptability
Acceptability of the CAPTURE text message intervention will be assessed through a structured participant satisfaction survey and open-ended qualitative feedback. The survey includes multiple items rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree), with higher scores indicating greater acceptability and satisfaction. Domains assessed include overall satisfaction, perceived helpfulness, relevance, and willingness to recommend the intervention to others. In addition, participants will be invited to provide brief qualitative comments via open-ended items assessing their experience and suggestions for improvement. Quantitative results will be summarized using descriptive statistics, and qualitative feedback will be analyzed using thematic content analysis.
Time frame: 30 days after ED visit
Preparedness for Caregiving Scale
Preparedness for Caregiving Scale to assess Care partner preparedness. Total score range 0 to 32. Higher scores indicate greater perceived readiness for caregiving.
Time frame: 30 days after ED visit
Zarit Burden Interview score
Zarit Burden Interview, self-efficacy scales used to assess Emotional well-being and burden. Total score 0-88, higher scores indicate more severe burden.
Time frame: 30 days after ED visit
Emergency Department revisits and hospitalizations
Return healthcare utilization assessed as mean number ED revisits
Time frame: 30 days after ED visit