Evidence mapPaperPMID 39805580Full record

ArticleJMIR formative research2025

Exploring the General Acceptability and User Experience of a Digital Therapeutic for Cognitive Training in a Singaporean Older Adult Population: Qualitative Study.

Siong Peng Kwek, Qiao Ying Leong, V Vien Lee, Ni Yin Lau, Smrithi Vijayakumar, Wei Ying Ng, Bina Rai, Marlena Natalia Raczkowska, Christopher L Asplund, Alexandria Remus and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR formative research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Siong Peng KwekThe Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0009-0000-0206-2246
Qiao Ying LeongThe Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0003-2369-4933
V Vien LeeThe Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-0216-9032
Ni Yin LauThe Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-2310-2523
Smrithi VijayakumarThe Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-3304-7636
Wei Ying NgThe Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0003-4781-6413
Bina RaiThe N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-7079-8463
Marlena Natalia RaczkowskaThe Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0003-1208-8751
Christopher L Asplund *The Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-5708-6966
Alexandria Remus *The Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-9002-7933
Dean Ho *The Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-7337-296X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSingapore's large aging population poses significant challenges for the health care system in managing cognitive decline, underscoring the importance of identifying and implementing effective interventions. Cognitive training delivered remotely as a digital therapeutic (DTx) may serve as a scalable and accessible approach to overcoming these challenges. While previous studies indicate the potential of cognitive training as a promising solution for managing cognitive decline, understanding the attitudes and experiences of older adults toward using such DTx platforms remains relatively unexplored.

objectiveThis study aimed to characterize the general acceptability and user experience of CURATE.DTx, a multitasking-based DTx platform that challenges the cognitive domains of attention, problem-solving, and executive function in the Singaporean older adult population.

methodsA total of 15 older adult participants (mean age 66.1, SD 3.5 years) were recruited for a 90-minute in-person session. This session included a 30-minute playtest of CURATE.DTx, followed by a 60-minute semistructured interview to understand their overall attitudes, experience, motivation, and views of the intervention. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, then analyzed using an inductive approach. Thematic analysis was used to identify emerging patterns and insights.

resultsA total of 3 main themes, and their respective subthemes, emerged from the interviews: comprehension, with subthemes of instruction and task comprehension; acceptability, with subthemes of tablet usability, engagement and enjoyment, and attitude and perceived benefits; and facilitators to adoption, with subthemes of framing and aesthetics, motivation recommendations and the role of medical professionals. Our findings revealed that participants encountered some challenges with understanding certain elements of CURATE.DTx. Nevertheless, they were still highly engaged with it, finding the challenge to be enjoyable. Participants also showed a strong awareness of the importance of cognitive training and expressed a keen interest in using CURATE.DTx for this purpose, especially if recommended by medical professionals.

conclusionsGiven the positive engagement and feedback obtained from Singaporean older adults on CURATE.DTx, this study can serve as a basis for future platform iterations and strategies that should be considered during implementation. Future studies should continue implementing an iterative codesign approach to ensure the broader applicability and effectiveness of interventions tailored to this demographic.

Indexed as

Cognitive Behavioral TherapyCognitive DysfunctionPatient Acceptance of Health CareAgedCognitive TrainingFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchSingaporeacceptanceattitudescognitioncognitive trainingdigital healthdigital therapeuticDTxelderlyexperiencesgeriatricgerontologyinterviewinterviewsolder adultsopinionsperceptionsperspectivesqualitativeremotethematicusability

Identifiers

PMID39805580
PMCPMC11773276

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.