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Active, Not Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT06217601

Impact Evaluation of the Digital Connect Project for Homebound Older Adults

The goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of the Digital Connect Project on increasing functional capacity defined by the WHO-ICOPE and health-related quality of life (HRQL) among homebound older adults.

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

Key information

Conditions

Aging Well

Age range

65 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

The University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

About this study

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust is launching the Digital Connect project to increase the well-being and social connectedness of the homebound older adults. A total of 32 NGOs are applying for 7,500 tablets and data plan (in total) through this project. Different digital programs will be rolled out to enhance their well-being and social connectedness. This study aim is to capture the impact of this Digital Connect project on the health outcomes of the homebound older adults. The tablet intervention will be offered by the NGOs within a 2-year timeframe. Web-based multi-domain lifestyle training intervention will be conducted to promoted and focus three lifestyles: nutritional advice, exercise and cognitive training; chat communication with research team, and personalized agenda on daily activities and an information library.

The object of this study is to explore the dose-response relationship between online engagement in the different types of activity and the improvement in the corresponding health outcomes, including the five domains: (1) Physical function, (2) Cognitive function, (3) Psychological function, (4) Social function and (5) Health-related quality of life. One baseline assessment and four follow-ups will be arranged in every 3-month interval. To account for immortal time bias, each subject will be created with two clones at time zero and assigned each of the two clones to either treatment or control group, respectively.

The engagement experience will be explored by interviewing the participants and service stakeholders through the planning and delivery of the digital intervention for the homebound older adults.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • age > 65
  • consent to participate
  • able to participate in the impact assessment as evidence by a test score of > 6 on the Abbreviated Mental Test
  • has the functional ability to engage in the digital intervention

Exclusion criteria

-

Treatment and study plan

Digital intervention through Tablet

Behavioral

Web-based multi-domain lifestyle training intervention will be conducted to promoted and focus three lifestyles: nutritional advice, exercise and cognitive training; chat communication with research team, and personalized agenda on daily activities and an information library.

Primary outcomes

  1. Health-related quality of life (HRQL)

    Time frame: Changes from baseline to 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 12 month post-intervention.

    Measure by EQ-5D-5L (range from -0.59 to 1.0), higher score indicates better quality of life

  2. Physical function

    Time frame: Changes from baseline to 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 12 month post-intervention.

    Measured by Short Physical Performance Battery (range from 0 to 12), with higher score indicating better physical performance

  3. Cognitive function score

    Time frame: Changes from baseline to 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 12 month post-intervention.

    Measured by 5-minute Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) (range from 0 to 30), A score of 26 or over is considered to be normal.

  4. Subjective Memory Score

    Time frame: Changes from baseline to 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 12 month post-intervention.

    Measured by 7-item Memory Complaint Scale (MCS) (range from 0 to 14), lower score indicates better memory performance. No MCs (0-2), Mild MCs (3-6), Moderate MCs (7-10), Severe MCs (11-14).

  5. Loneliness score

    Time frame: Changes from baseline to 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 12 month post-intervention.

    Measured by 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale (range 3-9), higher score indicates greater loneliness.

  6. Depression score

    Time frame: Changes from baseline to 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 12 month post-intervention.

    Measured by The 8-item Geriatric Depression Scale (range 0 to 8), with higher score indicating higher risk of depression

  7. Social function

    Time frame: Changes from baseline to 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 12 month post-intervention.

    Measured by 8-item Social Connectedness Scale Revised (range 0 to 48), <22 indicates lack of social connectedness

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

The University of Hong Kong

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Impact Evaluation of the Digital Connect Project for Homebound Older Adults: A Target Trial Emulation

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jan 22, 2024
Registry last updated
Apr 6, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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