Caregiver Mental Health Mobile App (CAMMA) for family caregivers of adults with chronic disorders
Official title: Mobile application for early detection and intervention to reduce psychological distress in informal family caregivers of community dwelling adults with chronic disorders in Thailand
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11384734 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A mobile app in Thailand aims to support family caregivers of adults with chronic conditions by reducing depression and anxiety through an evidence-based mental health program.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $173,865 |
| NIH project number | 5R33MH131043-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384734 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults (21+) who are informal caregivers of community-dwelling adults with chronic disorders in Thailand and who have access to a smartphone.
✕Less likely to help
Caregivers without smartphone access or who are not providing direct informal care may not benefit from this app.
What this research studies
This project will create and test a culturally tailored mobile app called CAMMA to help family caregivers manage distress while caring for adults with chronic illnesses in resource-limited settings. It will adapt an evidence-based digital intervention for the caregiver context and study its effectiveness and how well the app can be implemented in real-world settings. The research will include development, usability testing, and a pilot/scale-up plan to determine impact on caregiver mental health and caregiver–care recipient dynamics. Participants will be adults who are informal caregivers living in Thailand and using the app with supportive guidance from the research team.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the app could provide scalable mental health support to caregivers, reducing distress and improving well-being for both caregivers and the people they care for.
How similar studies have gone: Digital caregiver support tools show promise, but culturally tailored, implementation-focused work in low-resource settings is still developing.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Hongtu — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Chen, Hongtu
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.