Co-Designed Mobile-Based Cognitive Training for Older Chinese Americans: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Public Health

Background:

• Older Chinese Americans face high dementia risk but lack access to culturally relevant services due to barriers like language and transportation.
• Mobile-based cognitive training programs, such as BrainHQ, offer a potential solution to mitigate these barriers and delay cognitive decline.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a mobile cognitive training intervention.
• The intervention was co-designed by older Chinese Americans and their adult children to ensure cultural and linguistic relevance.

Main Methods:

• An experience-based co-design approach was used, incorporating participants' lived experiences and social norms.
• Co-design workshops with older Chinese Americans and their adult children informed intervention prototypes.
• A pilot study will recruit 30 participants, randomly assigned to an intervention or waitlist control group, with daily mobile cognitive training for 12 weeks.

Main Results:

• The pilot trial received institutional review board approval in November 2024.
• Participant enrollment began in December 2024, with data collection expected by September 2025.
• Study findings will be analyzed and reported by February 2026.

Conclusions:

• This study establishes a foundation for a large-scale randomized controlled trial on mobile cognitive training for older Chinese Americans.
• The co-design workshop demonstrated a feasible and innovative method for participant engagement and study design improvement.
• Findings will guide culturally tailored cognitive training delivery and enhance engagement in dementia research for this population.