A Holistic Digital Cognitive Health Platform for Cognitive Decline: A Feasibility Study

Innovation Showcase
Anna Sandford James  

MyCognitionPRO is a CE-marked, digital health platform, designed to help users manage their cognitive health. The KTP project between MyCognition and The University of Northampton is undertaking a staged evidence generation plan to ensure the effective launch of a usable, evidence-based version of the platform, tailored to monitoring and preventing cognitive decline. A literature review, including clinical trials, has evidenced the therapeutic use of MyCognitionPRO for cognitive decline. However, the results indicated high rates of non-adoption and non-adherence in target users and several barriers with usability, accessibility, clarity and perceived usefulness of the platform. The project is now conducting an in-depth feasibility trial with older people (50+) experiencing a range of early-stage cognitive decline as well as their carers to investigate the effectiveness of the platform. The research measures usability, accessibility, enjoyment and motivational factors (acceptability) to assess the likelihood the intervention would be successfully implemented in the real-world context of people experiencing cognitive decline. The results will model user needs and determine factors that predict poor and good engagement with the platform. This will identify opportunities to modify and evolve the MyCognitionPRO platform to broaden the appeal, accessibility and usability. Results will be synthesised into a user-centred product roadmap, providing recommendations for app developments, further user trials, coproduction and efficacy research. This evidence-generation strategy is necessary in order to deploy MyCognitionPRO as a digital tool that meets user needs, achieves regulatory approval and implements smoothly into markets to have a real impact in society.