Effectiveness of a mobile app-based individualized non-pharmacological intervention on behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in community-dwelling older adults: Study protocol for a randomized control trial

Purpose: The manifestation of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) poses a considerable care burden and precipitates adverse health outcomes. Despite the increasing development of digital interventions, their application in the dementia population, specifically regarding their effectiveness in addressing BPSD, remains limited. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to de-scribe a study protocol for evaluating the effectiveness of a mobile app-based individualized non-pharmacological intervention to improve BPSD in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: Employing a randomized control group pretest-posttest design, 36 dyads comprising people living with dementia (PLWD) and their family caregivers will be assigned to either an experimental or control group. The experimental group will engage in a 4-week regimen using a mobile app-based individualized non-pharmacological intervention, which includes recording and predicting BPSD. The control group will use the BPSD record system without accessing the individualized interventions. Both groups will continue with their usual care practices throughout the study period. Results: We hypothesize that the implementation of the mobile app-based individualized non-pharmacological intervention will alleviate BPSD. After the intervention, results will be analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of the mobile app-based individualized non-pharmacological intervention on BPSD. Con-clusion: The research team may encounter several challenges owing to the novelty of digitalized in-terventions. Nevertheless, the results of this study will provide robust evidence regarding the efficacy of mobile app-based individualized non-pharmacological interventions for community-dwelling older PLWD. Trial registration: This trial has been registered with the Clinical Research Information Service in South Korea (CRIS No. KCT0008713; registered August 18, 2023).