Protocol for a scoping review of the impact of digital assistive technologies on the quality of life for people with dementia

Abstract

Introduction: Digital assistive technologies (e.g., applications, wearables, and robots) have emerged as promising tools for managing various aspects of daily life, such as basic assistance, encompassing social interaction, memory support, leisure activities, location tracking and health monitoring. In order to understand how these technologies can be utilized for people living with dementia, their impacts must first be reviewed. Currently, there is limited literature available on the topic, usually only focusing on a particular kind of digital assistive technology. Therefore, this paper presents a protocol for a scoping review that aims to provide a general overview of the impact digital assistive technologies can have on the quality of life for people living with dementia. Methods and analysis: We will follow the scoping review framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. A comprehensive search will be performed to identify original research articles or clinical trials published between 2013 and 2023 across online databases. The review will encompass both qualitative and quantitative themes derived from the literature. Relevant studies will be identified through a comprehensive search using specific search terms related to the population (people with dementia), intervention (digital assistive technologies), and outcome (quality of life). The screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts will be performed to select eligible studies based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data will be extracted using a standardized form, and the findings will be synthesized and reported qualitatively and quantitatively. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval is not required because this study is a scoping review based on published data. We intend to publish our findings in a peer-reviewed journal. OSF Registration https://osf.io/zcnx8/

Impact of digital assistive technologies on the quality of life for people with dementia: A scoping review

“…[9]). Furthermore, the protocol outlined the analysis of the type of DATs and sensory distribution channels [12]. During the extraction of the articles, it became evident that the type of DATs and sensory distribution channels wouldn't provide consistent reporting across the studies, and were instead replaced with DHT categories.…”

“…The methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley [10] and the recommendations from PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation [11] were adopted to conduct this scoping review. A protocol [12] was drafted and revised by authors CS, TK and RV. It was preregistered on the Open Science Framework Registry on 5 May 2023 (https://osf.io/zcnx8/).…”

“…A narrative synthesis accompanied with frequency analysis was performed of the included literature to present findings on (1) author locations, (2) study approach (3) type of article (4) study locations, (5) digital health technology (DHT) categories (see Coding Strategy), (6) target population, and (7) instruments measuring QOL. The QOL measures were initially evaluated according to the protocol [12]. Based on a pilot of the extraction of the articles, it became obvious that there was rarely one distinct "QOL instrument" used throughout all articles.…”