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A community-based participatory approach to delivering the Dealing with Dementia program to Black caregivers
Karah L Alexander, Fayron R. Epps, Jacque Thornton, Mia Chester, Toni P. Miles. Frontiers in Public Health, 2025-10-21
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Alter is a community-based program created to address gaps in dementia awareness and caregiving support/resources for Black and faith communities. The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers (RCI) collaborated with Alter to adapt the existing Dealing with Dementia (DWD) program [DWDAlter] to better reach and meet the needs of Black families through relevant dementia education and practical caregiving strategies. Context Faith-based partnerships were identified as a trusted place to start to deliver the pilot DWDAlter Program. Four focus groups were conducted with Black faith leaders, their congregants who identified as caregivers, and other community members to inform the adaptation of the program. RCI’s original agency-based DWD model was modified using the principles of Community-Based Participatory Research. Programmatic elements Input from the focus groups shaped the DWDAlter protocol, which included: (a) facilitator “toolkit,” (b) program assessments, (c) procedure manual, and (d) a community recruitment plan. To test the pilot DWDAlter, 22 Black community members were trained as facilitators, including 10 (45%) from rural Georgia communities. Between June and August 2024, 15 facilitators conducted 27 DWDAlter sessions using these new materials. Outcomes of this pilot initiative include an assessment of participant demographics and program satisfaction (acceptability). Two hundred and sixty-four persons attended the sessions, 95% of whom identified as Black or African American. Seventy-nine percent were family caregivers for individuals living with dementia, and 83% strongly agreed that the program met their caregiving needs. Evaluation of program effectiveness, specifically changes in caregiving self-efficacy and dementia knowledge before and after participation, will be conducted at a later time. Discussion While program acceptability was high, delivery challenges included limited facilitator availability, a 2.5-month grant period, and outreach barriers in Black rural communities. Following the pilot field test, a sustainability plan was co-developed with community facilitators to support continued implementation and ensure that resources spent on DWDAlter were not lost.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Alexander, K. L., Epps, F. R., Thornton, J., Chester, M., & Miles, T. P. (2025). A community-based participatory approach to delivering the Dealing with Dementia program to Black caregivers. Frontiers in Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1676590
Vancouver
Alexander KL, Epps FR, Thornton J, Chester M, Miles TP. A community-based participatory approach to delivering the Dealing with Dementia program to Black caregivers. Frontiers in Public Health. 2025. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2025.1676590. PMID: 41194993.
BibTeX
@article{alexander2025-41194993,
author = {Alexander, Karah L and Epps, Fayron R. and Thornton, Jacque and Chester, Mia and Miles, Toni P.},
title = {{A community-based participatory approach to delivering the Dealing with Dementia program to Black caregivers}},
journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2025.1676590},
pmid = {41194993},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1676590}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Two hundred and sixty-four persons attended the sessions, 95% of whom identified as Black or African American.
- Seventy-nine percent were family caregivers for individuals living with dementia, and 83% strongly agreed that the program met their caregiving needs.
- Evaluation of program effectiveness, specifically changes in caregiving self-efficacy and dementia knowledge before and after participation, will be conducted at a later time.
- Discussion While program acceptability was high, delivery challenges included limited facilitator availability, a 2.5-month grant period, and outreach barriers in Black rural communities.
- Following the pilot field test, a sustainability plan was co-developed with community facilitators to support continued implementation and ensure that resources spent on DWDAlter were not lost.
Why it matters
This pilot program adapted an existing dementia caregiving program for Black and faith communities, with 264 attendees, 95% of whom identified as Black or African American. Program acceptability was high, but evaluation of changes in caregiving self-efficacy and dementia knowledge will be conducted later.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 35/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Frontiers in Public Health) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Frontiers in Public Health: journal h-index 174 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 2 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Toni P. Miles: h-index 43 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Emory University: institution h-index 1,360 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41194993) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 35 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1676590
- PubMed: 41194993
- Original source →
- Free full text: Frontiers in Public Health →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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