Design Considerations for UTI Digital Solutions for People Living with Dementia: Insights from Caregivers

TL;DR

This paper explores how to design digital tools to help dementia caregivers manage urinary tract infections more effectively, based on insights from interviews with caregivers.

Contribution

The paper introduces Goodbye UTI (GUTI), a digital solution for UTI management in dementia care, with design considerations derived from caregiver interviews.

Findings

Caregivers emphasized the need for a simple interface with symptom tracking, reminders, and educational resources.

Eight core design considerations were identified, including intuitive design, real-time guidance, and caregiver support features.

Prototype screenshots in Figma were created to demonstrate key features of the proposed digital solution.

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a leading cause of hospitalization and emergency room visits among people living with dementia (PLWD). Dementia caregivers often struggle to recognize early UTI symptoms and access timely guidance, increasing the risk of complications. This study aims to prototype Goodbye UTI (GUTI), a digital solution designed to support caregivers in UTI prevention and management. Following the framework of the four-steps human-centered design (HCD) approach, we identified key design considerations for GUTI. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 dementia caregivers (aged 42–82, M = 68.74, SD = 11.41) from December 2023 to June 2024 to explore their needs and preferences for UTI digital solutions. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic coding with ATLAS.ti to extract insights on user needs, requirements, and context of use. Caregivers reported challenges such as emotional strain, communication difficulties, limited knowledge, and the need for accessible health information. They emphasized the importance of a simple interface with symptom tracking, reminders, and educational resources. Based on these insights, we developed a functional matrix with eight core design considerations and created ten prototype screenshots in Figma demonstrating key features. Findings highlight the need for intuitive, personalized, and actionable digital tools for UTI management in dementia care. GUTI addresses these needs by prioritizing reminder, real-time guidance, and caregiver support. Future research should focus on iterative design in prototype testing and development, usability and the effectiveness of GUTI in real-world caregiving context.