TY  - INPR
N1  - This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
TI  - Feasibility and Acceptability of a Virtual "dementia Awareness for Caregivers" Course in Brazil and India
Y1  - 2025/01/20/
AV  - restricted
JF  - Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders
A1  - de Carvalho, RLS
A1  - Fisher, E
A1  - Natarajan, N
A1  - Hui, EK
A1  - Venkatesan, S
A1  - Vaitheswaran, S
A1  - Laksminarayanan, M
A1  - Brum, PS
A1  - Naylor-Batista, R
A1  - Bertrand, E
A1  - Mograbi, DC
A1  - Ferri, CP
A1  - Stoner, C
A1  - Spector, A
ID  - discovery10204898
N2  - OBJECTIVE: To establish whether a virtual dementia awareness course is feasible for caregivers of people with dementia in Brazil and India. METHODS: A pre/posttest single group, multisite feasibility study, mixed methods exploratory design was applied. Primary caregivers of people with dementia in Brazil and India took a 3 to 4-hour course adapted for online delivery, with 10 to 15 caregivers. Measurements encompassed self-reports of carer competence, attitudes to dementia, and caregiver burden; satisfaction questionnaire completed immediately after the intervention; open-ended questions at 1-month follow-up to assess if caregivers applied information to caregiving role; semistructured interviews about how the intervention changed caregivers? behavior and attitudes towards dementia. RESULTS: Of the 70 caregivers who received the intervention (Brazil = 34; India = 36), 54 (77.1%) completed postintervention outcomes, and 39 (55.7%) completed questionnaires at 1-month follow-up assessment. Significant improvements were observed in attitudes to dementia in both countries and self-perceived carer competence (in India) postintervention. The themes from the 9 semistructured interviews were: acceptability, feasibility, change of behavior/attitude, and suggestions for future sessions. CONCLUSIONS: Dementia awareness course was a feasible online intervention to improve dementia awareness among family caregivers across countries. It offers a standardized yet flexible methodology, with promising outcomes that need to be evaluated in a full randomized controlled trial.
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1097/wad.0000000000000659
PB  - Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
ER  -