The Feasibility and Practicality of dementia risk reduction
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Feasibility and practicality of dementia risk reduction in the older population: A pilot trial
IRAS ID
235201
Contact name
Read
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Cambridge
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN14643514
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
Thirty percent of Alzheimer’s disease cases have been linked to modifiable lifestyle behaviours such as smoking and lack of physical activity. However, to date, much focus for prevention has focused on the younger old age groups rather than those who are at highest immediate risk of developing dementia (i.e. persons aged 75 years and older). Internet counselling, targeting lifestyle behaviours, is being developed as a possible way to reduce risk but it is not known if such an intervention would be acceptable, feasible or appropriate for people aged over 75 years in the UK.
We propose to pilot an internet counselling intervention targeting cardiovascular risk factors that has been successfully trialed in continental Europe (Netherlands, France and Finland) in an existing cohort study (Cognitive Function and Ageing Study II (CFAS II). The aim is to investigate feasibility and acceptability to UK populations and whether outcome measures are suitable for launching a full-scale trial.
We will approach 336 particpants at each CFAS centre (Cambridgeshire, Nottingham and Newcastle) of these, 72 older adults will be allocated to the intervention trail. Half will receive internet counselling with support from a coach over 12 weeks, the other half will receive a control internet battery. We will collect information about participant’s memory and thinking skills and risks of heart and other health problems at the start and end of the study. In addition, there will be a random group in each centre (n=72) who will receive no intervention or control battery. This allows us to test whether the trials recruitment itself changes behaviour. The results will tell us whether we can, or cannot, recommend a larger internet based trial for tackling health behaviours associated with increased dementia risk in older people in the UK.REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
18/WA/0120
Date of REC Opinion
30 Apr 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion