Perceptions and Attitudes of Informal Caregivers of Stroke Patients Regarding the Stroke-CareApp: A Phenomenological Study

<b>Introduction</b>: The application of information and communication tools in healthcare is becoming increasingly widespread and is obtaining promising results. However, their use by informal caregivers is not adequately elucidated. <b>Objective</b>: The aim was to analyze the opinions, perceptions, and attitudes of informal caregivers of stroke patients concerning the use of <i>Stroke-CareApp</i> (Version 1), a smartphone application (app) designed exclusively for this population. <b>Methods</b>: A qualitative study was conducted using a phenomenological approach. Five caregivers used <i>Stroke-CareApp</i>, an app designed as a meeting place for peers, with information about the disease and access to healthcare professionals. <b>Results</b>: The discourses obtained from the interviews were analyzed, and the resulting codes were divided into eight categories: impact on the caregiver, coping with caregiving, involvement in caregiving, steps toward recovery in the absence of the caregiver, relevance for the caregiver, facilitating factors for the use of the app, source of consultation when in doubt and reliability of the information, and limitations in the use of the app. <b>Conclusions</b>: Although caregivers consider the app a beneficial intervention for them, it is important to note that it is a complementary alternative to other interventions, and one must be patient and perseverant during the initial months to achieve optimal adherence.