On 16 May, the Prevention of Dementia using Mobile phone Applications (PRODEMOS) project has published a new paper in the journal The Lancet Healthy Longevity, entitled “Prevention of dementia using mobile phone applications (PRODEMOS): a multinational, randomised, controlled effectiveness–implementation trial". This paper describes the design, procedures and outcomes of the PRODEMOS study, which aimed to reduce dementia risk factors in underserved populations at high-risk using a coach-supported mobile health (mHealth) intervention. In collaboration with the target population, the project's team developed a coach-supported mHealth intervention to reduce dementia risk. They used interviews, focus groups and think-out-loud sessions throughout the intervention development. They hypothesised that a coach-supported mHealth intervention would reduce dementia risk factors in older people at increased risk of dementia from low socioeconomic status populations in the UK and from the general population in Greater Beijing, China, and that this can be successfully implemented.
1,488 people were randomly assigned to the PRODEMOS study. Results showed that a coach-supported mHealth intervention aimed at self-management of lifestyle-related dementia risk factors can lead to a reduction of dementia risk as assessed with the CAIDE risk score in participants aged 55–75 years from low-socioeconomic-status populations in the UK and the general population in China. Coverage response rates were low in the UK and fair in China, but in those who participated, perceived appropriateness, acceptability, and feasibility were good, and overall engagement of participants and fidelity among coaches appeared satisfactory. Whether this will translate into the prevention of dementia is unknown and requires a large and long study. Implementation in these target populations appeared feasible, but reaching the populations remains a major challenge.
The publication of this paper coincided with the PRODEMOS presentation at the 10th European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC 2024) in Basel, Switzerland by Professor Edo Richard, one of the lead authors on the study from the Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen. “The difference we found was small, but consistent. I think we have to be modest about the effectiveness of the mHealth intervention at this point. We do not yet know if this change in a dementia risk score will eventually translate in a reduction in cognitive decline and dementia.”, Professor Richard said.
You can find the press release of the conference, including PRODEMOS (on page 7-8), here: https://eso-stroke.org/wp-content/uploads/Day_2_Clinical_Trial_Highlights_Full.pdf
Alzheimer Europe Executive Director Jean Georges and Project Officer Cindy Birck are co-authors of this paper. You can read the paper, here: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2666-7568(24)00068-0
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 779238 and the National Key R&D Programme of China (2017YFE0118800).