Adapting the “Faith Moves Mountains” Approach to Increase Dementia Treatment in a Rural Cohort

TL;DR

This study tested a faith-based approach to increase dementia screening and treatment in a rural, diverse community.

Contribution

The study adapts a faith-based model to address dementia in rural areas, focusing on community-led outreach and education.

Findings

A faith-based, resident-led approach increased ADRD knowledge and screening in rural communities.

Older age, female gender, lower education, and years lived rural predicted treatment outcomes.

Community members were trained to conduct outreach, assessments, and follow-ups effectively.

Abstract

Rurality confers a heightened risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Recent demographic shifts have fueled rural, small-town growth, reshaping the composition of rural communities with increased representation of older and racially and ethnically diverse individuals, whose ADRD risk is compounded by other factors. Using a community-based participatory approach, we tested the hypotheses that (1) a faith-based, resident-led approach would increase ADRD knowledge and screening, and (2) older age, female gender, lower educational levels, and more years lived rural would predict number of referrals, new dementia diagnoses, and treatment. An adaptation of Schoenberg’s (2009) Faith Moves Mountains model, previously successful in detection and management of other chronic illnesses in rural settings, guided this community-based participatory research. Local faith community members were trained as research assistants to recruit, administer surveys, conduct brief memory assessments, teach brain health strategies, and follow-up with residents. Outreaches were offered virtually during the pandemic, then in-person monthly at rotating church sites, and repeated ∼1 year later. This rural sample was 74.5% non-White, with 28% reporting