Introduction: Use of online registries to efficiently identify older adults with cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an approach with growing evidence for feasibility and validity. Linked biomarker and registry data can facilitate AD clinical research.
Methods: We collected blood for plasma biomarker and genetic analysis from older adult Brain Health Registry (BHR) participants, evaluated feasibility, and estimated associations between demographic variables and study participation.
Results: Of 7150 participants invited to the study, 864 (12%) enrolled and 629 (73%) completed remote blood draws. Participants reported high study acceptability. Those from underrepresented ethnocultural and educational groups were less likely to participate.
Discussion: This study demonstrates the challenges of remote blood collection from a large representative sample of older adults. Remote blood collection from > 600 participants within a short timeframe demonstrates the feasibility of our approach, which can be expanded for efficient collection of plasma AD biomarker and genetic data.
Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; acceptability; aging research; brain health registry; education; engagement; ethnicity; feasibility; genetics; internet; plasma biomarkers; race; research registry.
© 2022 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.