Testing the effects of a text message intervention on depression and distress among Latino dementia caregivers: a randomized controlled trial protocol

medRxiv, September 2025

41001476

Jaime Perales-Puchalt, Mariana Ramírez-Mantilla, Henry P. Moore, Idaly Velez-Uribe, Vanessa Sepulveda-Rivera, Rachel Ruiz, Mónica Fracachán-Cabrera, Yesenia Herrera, Christina Baker, Antonio Miras-Neira, Becky Bothwell, Heidi Anderson, Tina Lewandowski, Francisco J. Diaz, K. Allen Greiner, Kristine Williams, Eric D. Vidoni, Edward Ellerbeck, Jeffrey M. Burns

Latino caregivers have poor mental health and access to caregiver support services. Here, we describe the protocol for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effect of a text message intervention on depression and distress among informal Latino dementia caregivers. We will also assess mechanisms of action. We are enrolling 288 Latino dementia informal caregivers 18 or older into a parallel group RCT. Participants randomized to the intervention group receive a remote, asynchronous, bilingual, bi-directional, six-month texting program focused on dementia education, skill-building and community resources. The control group enters a 7-month waitlist after which they are offered the same intervention as the intervention group. Randomization is stratified by each of the four recruitment sites at a 1:1 ratio. Outcomes (e.g., caregiver depressive symptomatology, distress) are measured via surveys at baseline, 3, 6 and 7 months. This RCT addresse two priority areas: eliminating dementia disparities and optimizing caregiver support. Findings have the potential to make clinical and policy-relevant contributions by providing appropriate caregiver support to Latinos in a highly scalable way. ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT06728436. University of Kansas Medical Center STUDY00150585.