A new paper from the PRODEMOS consortium has recently been published in the journal of global health. This first qualitative study of the Chinese arm of the PRODEMOS intervention demonstrates that it is an acceptable and implementable approach for promoting lifestyle changes in people at increased risk of dementia. The PRODEMOS study was a multinational, prospective, randomised and open-label blinded endpoint clinical trial with a 12–18-month intervention and follow-up period. It was designed to investigate the effectiveness and implementation of a coach-supported mHealth intervention to optimise self-management of dementia risk factors in people aged 55–75 years at increased risk of dementia. It focused on low socioeconomic status (SES) in the UK and the general population in greater Beijing, China, with the aim to reduce overall dementia risk.
This new paper explored the implementability of the PRODEMOS intervention in China through qualitative interviews with intervention participants and their coaches. Participants found the PRODEMOS app easy to use and remote coaching convenient, although coach responses were sometimes perceived as slow due to not logging into the mHealth platform simultaneously, thus delaying text chat communication. The intervention's appropriateness was shaped by its effectiveness in enhancing health awareness and meeting participants’ needs. Feasibility depended on integration into daily routines, participant progress, partner support, coach attention, smartphone literacy, and time availability.
