The moderated mediation effect of caregiving network and digital competence on caregiving outcomes among carers of multiple chronic conditions

The study applies Strong Structuration Theory to explore how informal carers' external structures (the size and quality of their social support network [SN]) influences their internal structures (caregiving network [CN] and levels of digital competence [DC]), action (caregiving hours per week [CH]), and outcomes (health-related quality of life [QL], burden of care [BC], and loneliness [Lo]). Two hundred informal carers of patients with chronic health issues were recruited and assessed, with a mean age was 59.2 ± 12.3 years (range: 25-86). Most were female and married; slightly more than half were the care recipient's children, 19.1% were spouses, 8.1% were siblings, and 7% were sons-/daughters-in-law. Conditional process analysis indicated a positive association between SN and CN, along with a chain mediation from CN to CH, BC, and QL that reduced loneliness. Overall, carers' external structures shaped their internal structures and actions, yielding both positive and negative outcomes. Digital competence moderated the relationship between CH and BC, reducing BC and loneliness. Social workers and healthcare practitioners should implement technology-based interventions to strengthen carers' social connectedness and mitigate the negative effects of caregiving.