Development of and satisfaction with a short-term outpatient preventive medical service for working informal caregivers: a study protocol of a non-randomized prospective pilot study

Abstract Background About 80% of care receivers (CRs) in Germany are cared for at home by family members or friends. These informal caregivers (CGs) often report a high burden from caregiving, which negatively affects their mental and physical health and often results in reduced work hours. CGs with statutory health insurance can apply for preventive medical services. A change in the law has allowed the duration of service to be split. Recent research postulated specialized digital and analog multi-component interventions to protect CGs’ health, which the pAKur project wants to develop and implement into public health. This pilot will focus on the development of and satisfaction with an outpatient preventive medical service for CGs. Methods The non-randomized, prospective pilot study will be performed on-site in Oberstdorf, Bavaria (Germany) and online from April 2026 to January 2027. Working CGs with a moderate CG burden caring for a CR with a moderate need for assistance will be included. The intervention will be developed in participation with CGs and experts in the corresponding field. Two groups (A and B) will participate in the same on-site treatment but will differ in the intensity of the digital support phase (A: low; B: high) and the location of the refresher treatment (A: on-site; B: digital). Within the framework of a mixed-methods design, quantitative and qualitative data will be collected: the main outcome will be CGs’ satisfaction with the outpatient preventive medical service, assessed with the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire and qualitative interviews. For secondary outcomes, several aspects of the CGs’ mental and physical health will be assessed via questionnaires and qualitative interviews. Quantitative data will be analyzed descriptively and explored with MANOVA; qualitative data will be examined with content analysis. Discussion Potential issues regarding recruitment, organization, and dropout due to intervention duration will be addressed with financial incentives, support from the tourism board, and personal contact during the intervention. This pilot marks the first step in integrating the CGs’ needs into existing preventive medical services as well as testing components and structures for future interventions. Trial registration German Clinical Trial Register (DRKS), ID: DRKS00039025 ; 01/22/2026