Needs and views on healthy lifestyles for the prevention of dementia and the potential role for mobile health (mHealth) interventions in China: a qualitative study
Centre for Complex Interventions, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Bin Jiang
Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, Peking University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Beijing, China
Hongmei Liu
1 Clinical Research Center, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Wei Zhang
Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
Xiaoyu Zhang
Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Wenzhi Wang
15 Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Beijing, China
Siqi Ge
Department of Neuroepidemiology, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Manshu Song
3 Beijing Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Capital Medical University School of Public Health, Beijing, China
Youxin Wang
Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Jihui Lyu
16 Center for Cognitive Disorders, Beijing Geriatric Hospital, Beijing, China
Eric P Moll van Charante
5 Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Xingming Li
Department of Epidemiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China
Esmé Eggink
1 Department of General Practice, Amsterdam UMC Locatie AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Haifeng Hou
4 Edith Cowan University School of Medical and Health Sciences, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
Yixuan Niu
17 Department of Geriatrics, The Second Medical Centre and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
Xiaoyan Ye
18 Fuzhou Comvee Network & Technology Co., Ltd, Fuzhou, China
Yueyi Yu
19 Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Jinxia Zhang
Beijing Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Xizhu Xu
School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Science, Tai`an, Shandong, China
Objectives Over the coming decades, China is expected to face the largest worldwide increase in dementia incidence. Mobile health (mHealth) may improve the accessibility of dementia prevention strategies, targeting lifestyle-related risk factors. Our aim is to explore the needs and views of Chinese older adults regarding healthy lifestyles to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) and dementia through mHealth, supporting the Prevention of Dementia using Mobile Phone Applications (PRODEMOS) study.Design Qualitative semi-structured interview study, using thematic analysis.Setting Primary and secondary care in Beijing and Tai’an, China.Participants Older adults aged 55 and over without dementia with an increased dementia risk, possessing a smartphone. Participants were recruited through seven hospitals participating in the PRODEMOS study, purposively sampled on age, sex, living area and history of CVD and diabetes.Results We performed 26 interviews with participants aged 55–86 years. Three main themes were identified: valuing a healthy lifestyle, sociocultural expectations and need for guidance. First, following a healthy lifestyle was generally deemed important. In addition to generic healthy behaviours, participants regarded certain specific Chinese lifestyle practices as important to prevent disease. Second, the sociocultural context played a crucial role, as an important motive to avoid disease was to limit the care burden put on family members. However, time-consuming family obligations and other social values could also impede healthy behaviours such as regular physical activity. Finally, there seemed to be a need for reliable and personalised lifestyle advice and for guidance from a health professional.Conclusions The Chinese older adults included in this study highly value a healthy lifestyle. They express a need for personalised lifestyle support in order to adopt healthy behaviours. Potentially, the PRODEMOS mHealth intervention can meet these needs through blended lifestyle support to improve risk factors for dementia and CVD.Trial registration number ISRCTN15986016; Pre-results.
