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Young SR, McManus Dworak E, Byrne GJ, Jones CM, Yoshino Benavente J, Yao L, Curtis LM, Varela Diaz M, Gershon R, Wolf M, Nowinski C. Protocol for a construct and clinical validation study of MyCog Mobile: a remote smartphone-based cognitive screener for older adults. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e083612. [PMID: 38569699 PMCID: PMC11148704 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-083612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Annual cognitive screening in older adults is essential for early detection of cognitive impairment, yet primary care settings face time constraints that present barriers to routine screening. A remote cognitive screener completed on a patient's personal smartphone before a visit has the potential to save primary care clinics time, encourage broader screening practices and increase early detection of cognitive decline. MyCog Mobile is a promising new remote smartphone-based cognitive screening app for primary care settings. We propose a combined construct and clinical validation study of MyCog Mobile. METHODS AND ANALYSIS We will recruit a total sample of 300 adult participants aged 65 years and older. A subsample of 200 healthy adult participants and a subsample of 100 adults with a cognitive impairment diagnosis (ie, dementia, mild cognitive impairment, cognitive deficits or other memory loss) will be recruited from the general population and specialty memory care centres, respectively. To evaluate the construct validity of MyCog Mobile, the healthy control sample will self-administer MyCog Mobile on study-provided smartphones and be administered a battery of gold-standard neuropsychological assessments. We will compare correlations between performance on MyCog Mobile and measures of similar and dissimilar constructs to evaluate convergent and discriminant validity. To assess clinical validity, participants in the clinical sample will self-administer MyCog Mobile on a smartphone and be administered a Mini-Cog screener and these data will be combined with the healthy control sample. We will then apply several supervised model types to determine the best predictors of cognitive impairment within the sample. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, sensitivity and specificity will be the primary performance metrics for clinical validity. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The Institutional Review Board at Northwestern University (STU00214921) approved this study protocol. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and summaries provided to the study's funders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Ruth Young
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Elizabeth McManus Dworak
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Greg J Byrne
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Callie Madison Jones
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Julia Yoshino Benavente
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Lihua Yao
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Laura M Curtis
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Geriatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Maria Varela Diaz
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Richard Gershon
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Michael Wolf
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Cindy Nowinski
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Young SR, Dworak EM, Byrne GJ, Jones CM, Yao L, Yoshino Benavente JN, Diaz MV, Curtis L, Gershon R, Wolf M, Nowinski CJ. Remote Self-Administration of Cognitive Screeners for Older Adults Prior to a Primary Care Visit: Pilot Cross-Sectional Study of the Reliability and Usability of the MyCog Mobile Screening App. JMIR Form Res 2024; 8:e54299. [PMID: 38324368 PMCID: PMC10882476 DOI: 10.2196/54299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Routine cognitive screening is essential in the early detection of dementia, but time constraints in primary care settings often limit clinicians' ability to conduct screenings. MyCog Mobile is a newly developed cognitive screening system that patients can self-administer on their smartphones before a primary care visit, which can help save clinics' time, encourage broader screening practices, and increase early detection of cognitive decline. OBJECTIVE The goal of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and initial psychometric properties of MyCog Mobile. Research questions included (1) Can older adults complete MyCog Mobile remotely without staff support? (2) Are the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the measures acceptable? and (3) How do participants rate the user experience of MyCog Mobile? METHODS A sample of adults aged 65 years and older (N=51) self-administered the MyCog Mobile measures remotely on their smartphones twice within a 2- to 3-week interval. The pilot version of MyCog Mobile includes 4 activities: MyFaces measures facial memory, MySorting measures executive functioning, MySequences measures working memory, and MyPictures measures episodic memory. After their first administration, participants also completed a modified version of the Simplified System Usability Scale (S-SUS) and 2 custom survey items. RESULTS All participants in the sample passed the practice items and completed each measure. Findings indicate that the Mobile Toolbox assessments measure the constructs well (internal consistency 0.73 to 0.91) and are stable over an approximately 2-week delay (test-retest reliability 0.61 to 0.71). Participants' rating of the user experience (mean S-SUS score 73.17, SD 19.27) indicated that older adults found the usability of MyCog Mobile to be above average. On free-response feedback items, most participants provided positive feedback or no feedback at all, but some indicated a need for clarity in certain task instructions, concerns about participants' abilities, desire to be able to contact a support person or use in-app technical support, and desire for additional practice items. CONCLUSIONS Pilot evidence suggests that the MyCog Mobile cognitive screener can be reliably self-administered by older adults on their smartphones. Participants in our study generally provided positive feedback about the MyCog Mobile experience and rated the usability of the app highly. Based on participant feedback, we will conduct further usability research to improve support functionality, optimize task instructions and practice opportunities, and ensure that patients feel comfortable using MyCog Mobile. The next steps include a clinical validation study that compares MyCog Mobile to gold-standard assessments and tests the sensitivity and specificity of the measures for identifying dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Ruth Young
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Elizabeth McManus Dworak
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Greg Joseph Byrne
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Callie Madison Jones
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Lihua Yao
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Julia Noelani Yoshino Benavente
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Maria Varela Diaz
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Laura Curtis
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Richard Gershon
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Michael Wolf
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Cindy J Nowinski
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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