Interactive mHealth Applications for Caregiver Training in Urinary Catheterization: A Scoping Review.

Background/

Objectives

Urinary catheterization is common across care settings, but safe management at home and during care transitions often depends on caregivers who receive limited and inconsistent training. Mobile health (mHealth) applications may support caregiver education and decision-making. This review mapped and synthesized evidence on interactive mobile applications for caregiver training in urinary catheterization and developed a conceptual framework to inform nursing practice.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted according to Joanna Briggs Institute guidance and reported following PRISMA-ScR. Searches were performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS, with complementary grey literature searches. Studies evaluating interactive mobile applications for caregiver training in urinary catheterization were included. Data were extracted and synthesized descriptively and narratively.

Results

Five studies published between 2020 and 2025 were included. Most were early-stage studies with small samples and heterogeneous designs. Interventions generally combined educational content with interactive features, such as decision-support tools, and less often behavioral strategies, including reminders and feedback. Outcomes mainly addressed knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy, while clinical outcomes, such as infection reduction, were rarely assessed. A conceptual framework was developed showing how intervention components may influence caregiver competence and care outcomes, moderated by contextual factors such as health literacy and digital access.

Conclusions

Interactive mobile applications may represent a promising approach to support caregiver training and improve the safety of urinary catheter management. However, current evidence remains preliminary and limited.