Mapping the Gaps: A Scoping Review of Virtual Care Solutions for Caregivers of Children with Chronic Illnesses
<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Caregivers of children with chronic illnesses, including chronic pain, experience high levels of distress, which impacts their own mental and physical health as well as child outcomes. Virtual care solutions offer opportunities to provide accessible support,...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/1/77 |
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| author | Nicole Pope Kathyrn A. Birnie Melanie Noel Justine Dol Danyu Li Megan Macneil Darrel Zientek Victoria Surry Jennifer N. Stinson |
| author_facet | Nicole Pope Kathyrn A. Birnie Melanie Noel Justine Dol Danyu Li Megan Macneil Darrel Zientek Victoria Surry Jennifer N. Stinson |
| author_sort | Nicole Pope |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Background/Objectives</b>: Caregivers of children with chronic illnesses, including chronic pain, experience high levels of distress, which impacts their own mental and physical health as well as child outcomes. Virtual care solutions offer opportunities to provide accessible support, yet most overlook caregivers’ needs. We conducted a scoping review to create an interactive Evidence and Gap Map (EGM) of virtual care solutions across a stepped care continuum (i.e., from self-directed to specialized care) for caregivers of youth with chronic illnesses. <b>Methods</b>: The review methodology was co-designed with four caregivers. Data sources were the peer-reviewed scientific literature and a call for innovations. Records were independently coded and assessed for quality. <b>Results</b>: Overall, 73 studies were included. Most virtual care solutions targeted caregivers of children with cancer, neurological disorders, and complex chronic illnesses. Over half were noted at lower levels of stepped care (i.e., self-guided apps and websites), with psychological strategies being predominant (84%). However, very few addressed caregivers’ physical health (15%) or provided family counseling (19%) or practical support (1%). Significant gaps were noted in interventions for managing caregiver chronic pain, despite its high prevalence and impact on child outcomes. <b>Conclusions</b>: Evidence and Gap Maps are innovative visual tools for knowledge synthesis, facilitating rapid, evidence-informed decision-making for patients, families, health professionals, and policymakers. This EGM highlighted high-quality virtual care solutions ready for immediate scaling and identified critical evidence gaps requiring prioritization. To address the complexities of pediatric chronic illnesses, including chronic pain, virtual care initiatives must prioritize family-centered, accessible, and equitable approaches. Engaging caregivers as partners is critical to ensure interventions align with their needs and priorities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e103cafacb4e44ed979f8c8d9e50b318 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj-art-e103cafacb4e44ed979f8c8d9e50b3182025-01-24T13:27:12ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672025-01-011217710.3390/children12010077Mapping the Gaps: A Scoping Review of Virtual Care Solutions for Caregivers of Children with Chronic IllnessesNicole Pope0Kathyrn A. Birnie1Melanie Noel2Justine Dol3Danyu Li4Megan Macneil5Darrel Zientek6Victoria Surry7Jennifer N. Stinson8Child Health Evaluative Services, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1E8, CanadaDepartment of Psychology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, CanadaCentre for Pediatric Pain Research, IWK Health, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, CanadaShanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaChronic Pain Network, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, CanadaIndependent Researcher, Ottawa, ON K2J 4W5, CanadaFaculty of Human and Social Development, School of Public Administration, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, CanadaChild Health Evaluative Services, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1E8, Canada<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Caregivers of children with chronic illnesses, including chronic pain, experience high levels of distress, which impacts their own mental and physical health as well as child outcomes. Virtual care solutions offer opportunities to provide accessible support, yet most overlook caregivers’ needs. We conducted a scoping review to create an interactive Evidence and Gap Map (EGM) of virtual care solutions across a stepped care continuum (i.e., from self-directed to specialized care) for caregivers of youth with chronic illnesses. <b>Methods</b>: The review methodology was co-designed with four caregivers. Data sources were the peer-reviewed scientific literature and a call for innovations. Records were independently coded and assessed for quality. <b>Results</b>: Overall, 73 studies were included. Most virtual care solutions targeted caregivers of children with cancer, neurological disorders, and complex chronic illnesses. Over half were noted at lower levels of stepped care (i.e., self-guided apps and websites), with psychological strategies being predominant (84%). However, very few addressed caregivers’ physical health (15%) or provided family counseling (19%) or practical support (1%). Significant gaps were noted in interventions for managing caregiver chronic pain, despite its high prevalence and impact on child outcomes. <b>Conclusions</b>: Evidence and Gap Maps are innovative visual tools for knowledge synthesis, facilitating rapid, evidence-informed decision-making for patients, families, health professionals, and policymakers. This EGM highlighted high-quality virtual care solutions ready for immediate scaling and identified critical evidence gaps requiring prioritization. To address the complexities of pediatric chronic illnesses, including chronic pain, virtual care initiatives must prioritize family-centered, accessible, and equitable approaches. Engaging caregivers as partners is critical to ensure interventions align with their needs and priorities.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/1/77virtual carechronic illnesseschronic painchildrenadolescentsprimary caregivers |
| spellingShingle | Nicole Pope Kathyrn A. Birnie Melanie Noel Justine Dol Danyu Li Megan Macneil Darrel Zientek Victoria Surry Jennifer N. Stinson Mapping the Gaps: A Scoping Review of Virtual Care Solutions for Caregivers of Children with Chronic Illnesses Children virtual care chronic illnesses chronic pain children adolescents primary caregivers |
| title | Mapping the Gaps: A Scoping Review of Virtual Care Solutions for Caregivers of Children with Chronic Illnesses |
| title_full | Mapping the Gaps: A Scoping Review of Virtual Care Solutions for Caregivers of Children with Chronic Illnesses |
| title_fullStr | Mapping the Gaps: A Scoping Review of Virtual Care Solutions for Caregivers of Children with Chronic Illnesses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mapping the Gaps: A Scoping Review of Virtual Care Solutions for Caregivers of Children with Chronic Illnesses |
| title_short | Mapping the Gaps: A Scoping Review of Virtual Care Solutions for Caregivers of Children with Chronic Illnesses |
| title_sort | mapping the gaps a scoping review of virtual care solutions for caregivers of children with chronic illnesses |
| topic | virtual care chronic illnesses chronic pain children adolescents primary caregivers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/1/77 |
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