Empowering Individuals at Risk for or Living with Vascular Cognitive Impairment: A Co-Developed Video Series Promoting Engagement, Prevention Strategies, and Self-Management
Description: Brain blood vessel diseases can cause difficulties with thinking and memory, called vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). The best known brain vascular disease is stroke (a blockage of blood supply to the brain, or a brain bleed), but there are also other forms of blood vessel problems that can lead to VCI. People affected by VCI often have risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol. Research has suggested ways to reduce the risk and progression of VCI by managing risk factors, but many people do not know much about VCI, how to prevent it, or what to do if a doctor diagnoses them with it. In collaboration with people with lived experience with vascular dementia, we aim to co-develop a series of educational videos in both French and English, aimed at raising awareness of VCI and its risk factors, and improving quality of life for those living with VCI. The videos will be targeted towards the general public, people experiencing cognitive symptoms, their care partners, and their healthcare providers. To develop and evaluate these videos, we are working with people with lived experience of VCI who are developing research skills through the University of Calgary's Patient and Community Engagement Research (PaCER) program. Our learners will design and carry out a research project to evaluate the videos. Based on the research results, we will modify the videos to improve their effectiveness and relatability. Finally, we will share the videos online through partnerships with community organizations and medical schools. Our goal is to improve knowledge related to VCI and raise awareness of ways to reduce the risk of and progression of the disease. This will enable us to better support persons with lived experience of VCI and their healthcare providers.
Amount: CA$100,000
Funding type: grant
Funder scheme: Op. Gr.:Brain Health/Reduction of Risk for Age-related Cognitive Impairment - Knowledge Synthesis/Mobili. Grants - Vascular Cognitive Impairment (VCI)
Start date: 2023-11-01
End date: 2024-10-31
Investigator: Eric Smith
Institution: University of Calgary
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Funded outputs count: 0
Funder award ID: 191189_1
OpenAlex ID: G6721741095