Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
182,469 studies31 sourcesUpdated 19 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC 4.0BMJ Open

Authentic participatory research with older adults for cognitive health (APROACH) in rural Botswana and urban Montreal: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial

  • Neil Andersson1,2
  • Anne Cockcroft1
  • Machelle Wilchesky3,4
  • Ivan Sarmiento1
  • Ogopoleng Batisi5
  • Mallar Chakravarty6
  • Maiya Geddes7
  • Franque Grimard8
  • Vladimir Hachinski9
  • Claudia Mitchell10
  • Kathy Pichora-Fuller11
  • Samira Abbasgholizadeh Rahimi12
3 more authors
  • Kim Sawchuk13
  • Walter Wittich14
  • Lehana Thabane15
15 affiliations
  1. 1CIET-PRAM, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  2. 2Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo, Gro, Mexico
  3. 3Departments of Medicine and of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  4. 4Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  5. 5Ministry of Health, Gaborone, Botswana
  6. 6Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  7. 7Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  8. 8Department of Economics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  9. 9Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
  10. 10Department of Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  11. 11Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  12. 12Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  13. 13Department of Communication Studies, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  14. 14École d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
  15. 15Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Open at sourceDOICite

Abstract

Introduction: Increasing numbers of older adults live with dementia especially in low- and middle-income countries. Most prevention relies on controlling conditions that increase the risk of dementia, such as hypertension, diabetes and sight and hearing loss. Recent pharmacological treatments have limited efficacy and are prohibitively expensive. Social isolation increases the risk of dementia and evidence suggests interventions to increase social engagement can reduce the risk possibly by supporting executive function. Three key features of authentic participatory research – shared governance, use of evidence and innovation – align with elements of executive function. Our pilot tests the feasibility and acceptability of participatory dementia prevention in Montreal, Canada and rural Botswana.

Methods and analysis: This pilot randomised controlled trial will recruit women and men aged 65 years and older who are socially isolated (not in paid or voluntary employment, not married) in urban Montreal and two rural communities in Botswana. In Botswana, we will randomly allocate participants in one community to receive the intervention immediately while the control community will receive the intervention after 18 months. In Montreal, individual participants will be randomly allocated to immediate or delayed intervention groups before or after their grouping by shared concern. We aim to recruit at least 100 participants in Botswana and 100 in Montreal. The intervention has six steps: individuals identify priority concerns; participants join groups with shared concerns; groups discuss the concern and potential solutions; groups share the concern and possible solutions with other stakeholders; implementation of solutions; and self-evaluation of the process. We will measure executive function using the Frontal Assessment Battery, and apply a questionnaire to measure integral brain health, physical health and social isolation at baseline, at 18 months and at 33 months. We will analyse narratives of change at the end of the intervention periods to understand participants’ experience of the intervention.

Ethics and dissemination: The McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Institutional Review Board approved the entire project on 18 September 2024, Study number: A06-M27-24A. The Psychosocial Research Committee (REC) of CIUSSS West-Central Montreal Research Ethics Board (REB) approved recruitment of clinic-related participants in Montreal on 3 March 2025, Project 2025-4112. The Health Research and Development Division of the Ministry of Health, Botswana, approved the study in Botswana on 24 June 2024, Reference number: HPRD 6/14/1.

In Botswana, we will disseminate the findings in community meetings in the two pilot communities and with government and non-government stakeholders convened by the Ministry of Health and the Social Development Department of the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs. In Montreal, we will disseminate the findings in research meetings and in other relevant fora. We will give oral and poster presentations about the study in relevant local, national and international academic conferences and meetings and publish papers about the findings in peer-reviewed, indexed academic journals.

Trial registration number: ISRCTN14273485 .

Related

  1. Nurture Early for Optimal Nutrition (NEON): A pilot cluster randomised controlled trial of community-facilitator-led participatory learning and action womens groups to improve infant feeding & care among South Asian families in East London
    L. Manikam, A. Fatima, P. Patil +15
    medRxivPreprintCC BYFull textEpidemiology & public healthmedRxiv
  2. Effects of cognitive-motor dual-task walking exercise versus walking-only exercise on cognitive function and patient-centred outcomes in older adults with subjective brain fog: a randomised controlled trial.
    Emre Dansuk, Burak Menek
    BMJ openPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textPsychiatry & mental healthEurope PMCCrossref
  3. Cognitive transfer and durability of computerised cognitive training in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
    Hao Luo, Lin Deng, Lingyun Long +3
    Frontiers in aging neurosciencePeer-reviewedCC BYFull textPsychiatry & mental healthEurope PMCEurope PMCPMC
  4. Augmented reality-assisted Tai Chi for adults with diabetes-associated cognitive impairment: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
    Haoxuan Li, Xinming Xu, Zhouyu Guan +22
    BMJ OpenPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC 4.0Full textPsychiatry & mental healthCrossref
  5. A randomised controlled feasibility trial of guided parent-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for children’s perfectionism
    Tracey D. Wade, Sarah J. Egan, Maya Jabs +2
    European Child & Adolescent PsychiatryPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full text1 citedPsychiatry & mental healthPMC

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{andersson2026authentic,
  title = {{Authentic participatory research with older adults for cognitive health (APROACH) in rural Botswana and urban Montreal: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial}},
  author = {Neil Andersson and Anne Cockcroft and Machelle Wilchesky and Ivan Sarmiento and Ogopoleng Batisi and Mallar Chakravarty and Maiya Geddes and Franque Grimard and Vladimir Hachinski and Claudia Mitchell and Kathy Pichora-Fuller and Samira Abbasgholizadeh Rahimi and Kim Sawchuk and Walter Wittich and Lehana Thabane},
  journal = {BMJ Open},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.1136/bmjopen-2026-121064},
  url = {https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-121064},
  note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Authentic participatory research with older adults for cognitive health (APROACH) in rural Botswana and urban Montreal: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial
AU  - Neil Andersson
AU  - Anne Cockcroft
AU  - Machelle Wilchesky
AU  - Ivan Sarmiento
AU  - Ogopoleng Batisi
AU  - Mallar Chakravarty
AU  - Maiya Geddes
AU  - Franque Grimard
AU  - Vladimir Hachinski
AU  - Claudia Mitchell
AU  - Kathy Pichora-Fuller
AU  - Samira Abbasgholizadeh Rahimi
AU  - Kim Sawchuk
AU  - Walter Wittich
AU  - Lehana Thabane
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/30
JO  - BMJ Open
DO  - 10.1136/bmjopen-2026-121064
UR  - https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-121064
AB  - Introduction: Increasing numbers of older adults live with dementia especially in low- and middle-income countries. Most prevention relies on controlling conditions that increase the risk of dementia, such as hypertension, diabetes and sight and hearing loss. Recent pharmacological treatments have limited efficacy and are prohibitively expensive. Social isolation increases the risk of dementia and evidence suggests interventions to increase social engagement can reduce the risk possibly by supporting executive function. Three key features of authentic participatory research – shared governance, use of evidence and innovation – align with elements of executive function. Our pilot tests the feasibility and acceptability of participatory dementia prevention in Montreal, Canada and rural Botswana.  Methods and analysis: This pilot randomised controlled trial will recruit women and men aged 65 years and older who are socially isolated (not in paid or voluntary employment, not married) in urban Montreal and two rural communities in Botswana. In Botswana, we will randomly allocate participants in one community to receive the intervention immediately while the control community will receive the intervention after 18 months. In Montreal, individual participants will be randomly allocated to immediate or delayed intervention groups before or after their grouping by shared concern. We aim to recruit at least 100 participants in Botswana and 100 in Montreal. The intervention has six steps: individuals identify priority concerns; participants join groups with shared concerns; groups discuss the concern and potential solutions; groups share the concern and possible solutions with other stakeholders; implementation of solutions; and self-evaluation of the process. We will measure executive function using the Frontal Assessment Battery, and apply a questionnaire to measure integral brain health, physical health and social isolation at baseline, at 18 months and at 33 months. We will analyse narratives of change at the end of the intervention periods to understand participants’ experience of the intervention.  Ethics and dissemination: The McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Institutional Review Board approved the entire project on 18 September 2024, Study number: A06-M27-24A. The Psychosocial Research Committee (REC) of CIUSSS West-Central Montreal Research Ethics Board (REB) approved recruitment of clinic-related participants in Montreal on 3 March 2025, Project 2025-4112. The Health Research and Development Division of the Ministry of Health, Botswana, approved the study in Botswana on 24 June 2024, Reference number: HPRD 6/14/1.  In Botswana, we will disseminate the findings in community meetings in the two pilot communities and with government and non-government stakeholders convened by the Ministry of Health and the Social Development Department of the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs. In Montreal, we will disseminate the findings in research meetings and in other relevant fora. We will give oral and poster presentations about the study in relevant local, national and international academic conferences and meetings and publish papers about the findings in peer-reviewed, indexed academic journals.  Trial registration number: ISRCTN14273485 .
SN  - 2044-6055
SN  - 2044-6055
ER  -