Review of the Content and Quality of Mobile Applications About Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias.

This study reviewed the content of mobile applications (apps) providing Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (ADRD) information and assessed quality of the apps. Characteristics, content, and technical aspects of 36 apps in the U.S. Google Play Store and App Store were coded, and quality of the apps was evaluated using the Mobile Application Rating Scale. Caregiving (62.1%) and disease management (55.6%) content was frequently provided. Few apps had an app community (8.3%) or a reminder function (8.3%). Overall, quality of the apps was acceptable; apps by health care-related developers had higher quality scores than those by non-health care-related developers. This analysis showed that ADRD-related apps provide a range of content and have potential to benefit caregivers, individuals with ADRD, health care providers, and the general public. Collaboration of ADRD experts and technology experts is needed to provide evidence-based information using effective technical functions that make apps to meet users' needs.

Physical Activity and Brain Health: An Analysis of Messages From Organizations and Caregiver Perceptions.

Growing research suggests regular physical activity as a strategy for reducing risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, there is little research available regarding public messages about the connection between physical activity and brain health. This study aimed to (a) examine the volume and content of regular physical activity and brain health messages being distributed by national organizations, and (b) explore how informal caregivers perceive and comprehend brain health messages. Methods included (a) a content analysis of 155 online documents related to physical activity and aging that were located on national physical activity organizations' websites, and (b) a thematic analysis of transcripts and observer notes from two focus groups with 10 informal caregivers recruited at a support organization for AD caregivers in the southeastern United States. Content analysis results revealed limited information about the physical activity and brain health connection. Focus group results revealed that caregivers had limited exposure to information about the physical activity and brain health connection and were concerned about the credibility of this information. Further research is needed regarding brain health and physical activity messages and the potential benefits of collaboration among physical activity organizations, researchers, and health care professionals in delivering consistent and credible messages to the public.

Experiences of caregivers by care recipient's health condition: A study of caregivers for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias versus other chronic conditions.

This study described experiences of caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias (ADRD) and caregivers of persons with other chronic conditions on self-reported health, type of assistance they provide, perceptions of how caregiving interferes with their lives, and perceived level of support. A secondary analysis was conducted of the 2013 Porter Novelli SummerStyles survey data. Of the 4033 respondents, 650 adults self-identified as caregivers with 11.6% caring for people with ADRD. Over half of all caregivers reported that caregiving interfered with their lives to some extent. The greater the perceived support caregivers reported, the less they thought that caregiving interfered with their lives (p < .001). No significant differences were found between ADRD and non-ADRD caregivers regarding general health, types of assistance they provided, and perceived level of support. These findings have the potential to inform future research and practice in the development of supportive services for caregivers.

Evaluating Community-Academic Partnerships of the South Carolina Healthy Brain Research Network.

Community-academic partnerships have a long history of support from public health researchers and practitioners as an effective way to advance research and solutions to issues that are of concern to communities and their citizens. Data on the development and evaluation of partnerships focused on healthy aging and cognitive health were limited. The purpose of this article is to examine how community partners view the benefits and barriers of a community-academic partner group established to support activities of the South Carolina Healthy Brain Research Network (SC-HBRN). The SC-HBRN is part of the national Healthy Brain Research Network, a thematic research network funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is focused on improving the scientific and research translation agenda on cognitive health and healthy aging. Semistructured interviews, conducted at end of Year 2 of the 5-year partnership, were used to collect data from partners of the SC-HBRN. Reported benefits of the partnership were information sharing and networking, reaching a broader audience, and humanizing research. When asked to describe what they perceived as barriers to the collaborative, partners described some lack of clarity regarding goals of the network and opportunities to contribute to the partnership. Study results can guide and strengthen other public health-focused partnerships.

Concern about developing Alzheimer's disease or dementia and intention to be screened: An analysis of national survey data.

OBJECTIVE: Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) or dementia is important so that patients can express treatment preferences, subsequently allowing caregivers to make decisions consistent with their wishes. This study explored the relationship between people's concern about developing AD/dementia, likelihood to be screened/tested, if experiencing changes in cognitive status or functioning, and concerns about sharing the diagnostic information with others. METHOD: A descriptive study was conducted using Porter Novelli's SummerStyles 2013 online survey data. Of the 6105 panelists aged 18+ who received the survey, 4033 adults responded (response rate: 66%). Chi squares were used with case-level weighting applied. RESULTS: Almost 13% of respondents reported being very worried or worried about getting AD/dementia, with women more worried than men (p<.001), and AD/dementia caregivers more worried than other types of caregivers (p=.04). Women were also more likely than men to agree to be screened/tested if experiencing changes in memory and/or thinking (p<.001). The greater the worry, the more likely respondents would agree to be screened/tested (p<.001). Nearly 66% of respondents were concerned that sharing a diagnosis would change the way others think/feel about them, with women reporting greater concern than men (p=.003). CONCLUSION: Findings demonstrate that level of worry about AD/dementia is associated with the reported likelihood that individuals agree to be screened/tested. This information will be useful in developing communication strategies to address public concern about AD/dementia that may increase the likelihood of screening and early detection.

Increasing Community Awareness About Alzheimer's Disease in Puerto Rico Through Coffee Shop Education and Social Media.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the fourth leading cause of death in Puerto Rico. Using multi-media resources and in-person education may be an effective approach to improve knowledge and awareness of AD. The Un Café por el Alzheimer program in Puerto Rico incorporates an education component at coffee shops and a social media campaign using Facebook. The current study evaluates this initiative through an analysis of pre/post education survey results and social media content and use. Surveys contained close-ended and open-ended questions to understand participants' perceptions and knowledge about AD. Post-education surveys also included questions related to program satisfaction. Social media analysis of the Facebook community page examined posts from March 1 to September 30, 2015. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze survey and Facebook data. Four education sessions were conducted with a total of 212 participants. Fifty-one of the participants completed both pre- and post-surveys. Following the education program participants reported improved knowledge of risk and protective factors. All participants reported learning new information from the program. There were a total of 250 posts on the Un Café por el Alzheimer community Facebook page; 168 posts related to AD. The Facebook page reached 294,109 people, with 9963 page likes, 610 comments, 17,780 post clicks, and 3632 shares. There was an average increase of 64.8 % in number of people reached by the Facebook page following the education sessions. The approach of combining social media resources and in-person education is beneficial to increase public awareness of AD and disseminate health information.