Primary Health CareDHCRCTNCT07252934
District Health Centre Membership Among Older Adults in Hong Kong
A study testing Home-based and AI-generated digital intervention in people with Primary Health Care, run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
This study is a cluster randomized controlled trial study to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of intergenerational home-based and AI-generated digital interventions in improving the proportion of District Health Centre members among older adults in Hong Kong. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 65 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Primary Health Care
- What is being tested?
- Home-based and AI-generated digital intervention
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 180 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- Jun 2026to 30 Jun 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 65 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 65 years or older
- spoke Chinese
- are physically, mentally, and cognitively capable of engaging in simple physical tasks
- understanding survey questions
- non district health centre member
Who cannot join
- All subjects have the right to withdraw if they wish not to continue
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Enhancing District Health Centre Membership Among Older Adults Through Intergenerational Home-based and AI-generated Digital Interventions
This study is a cluster randomized controlled trial study to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of intergenerational home-based and AI-generated digital interventions in improving the proportion of District Health Centre members among older adults in Hong Kong.
Read the detailed description
This is a two-group parallel cluster randomized controlled trial, involving 180 older adults recruited from 6 clusters. Clusters would be allocated to either the intervention or control arm in a 1:1 ratio Participants will receive home-based DHC intervention by trained students, followed by 1-month of AI-generated digital interventions, including infographics, videos, and messages on the introduction and promotion of DHC, via WhatsApp. The primary outcome is to increase the proportion of District Health Centre members. Secondary outcomes include the proportion of participants utilizing DHC services, physical well-being, mental health, and feasibility metrics. Data will be collected via surveys at baseline and follow-ups (1, 3, and 6 months).
This proposed pilot study aims to improve primary healthcare service uptake among older adults in Hong Kong. In doing so, it seeks to support healthier aging, improve health outcomes, alleviate pressure on hospitals, and offer evidence-based framework for addressing the needs of aging populations.
- Conditions
- Primary Health Care
- Being tested
- Home-based and AI-generated digital intervention
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Home-based and AI-generated digital interventionBehavioural
The home-based intervention is a 90-minute face-to-face session, during which trained student interns collect health assessment data and deliver theme-based, tailored health interventions. The digital intervention is a 1-month follow-up support involving daily messages via instant messaging apps (e.g., WhatsApp) that include health-related infographics, videos, and personalized advice.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Education on primary health care utilization | Experimental | Participants will receive education on primary healthcare services and their benefits for improving health outcomes. The education program includes a 1.5-hour face-to-face, home-based session and a 4-week AI-generated digital intervention. Receives: Behavioral: Home-based and AI-generated digital intervention |
| Education on general health | Active comparator | Participants will receive general health education relevant to older adults. The program also includes a 1.5-hour face-to-face, home-based session and a 4-week AI-generated digital intervention. Receives: Behavioral: Home-based and AI-generated digital intervention |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
District health centre membership
The primary outcome is the proportion of older adults who become DHC members at 3 months.
Measured: 3 months
Secondary outcomes (1)
District health centre utilization
The proportion of older adults utilizing DHC service after 3 months
Measured: 3 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted28 Nov 2025
- Study startJun 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion31 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Jun 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Primary Health CareStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by The University of Hong KongThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 180 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The University of Hong Kong
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Wanjia, Aaron HE, The University of Hong Kong
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07252934
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- DHCRCT
- Acronym
- DHCRCT
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 25 Sep 2025
- Last updated
- 29 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
He AWJ, Yuan R, Luk TT, Wang KMP, Chan SSC. Boosting Digital Health Engagement Among Older Adults in Hong Kong: Pilot Pre-Post Study of the Generations Connect Project. JMIR Form Res. 2025 May 8;9:e69611. doi: 10.2196/69611.
PubMed 40340793Wan Jia Aaron H, Yuan R, Chan SCS. Socio-demographic and behavioral predictors of multiple-dose COVID-19 vaccine uptake among older adults in Hong Kong: A community-based cross-sectional study of the generations connect project. Vaccine. 2025 Aug 13;61:127308. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127308. Epub 2025 Jun 2.
PubMed 40460652He AWJ, Cheung FHY, Shao Y, Chau MSL, Chan SSC. Enhancing District Health Center membership among older adults through intergenerational home-based and AI-generated digital interventions: protocol for a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial. Front Public Health. 2026 Jul 24;14:1832388. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1832388. eCollection 2026.
PubMed 42569307
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Enhancing District Health Centre Membership Among Older Adults Through Intergenerational Home-based and AI-generated Digital Interventions
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07252934
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- DHCRCT / DHCRCT
- Conditions
- Primary Health Care
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 180 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- The University of Hong KongUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 31 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Jun 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 28 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study is a cluster randomized controlled trial study to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of intergenerational home-based and AI-generated digital interventions in improving the proportion of District Health Centre members among older adults in Hong Kong.
Detailed description
This is a two-group parallel cluster randomized controlled trial, involving 180 older adults recruited from 6 clusters. Clusters would be allocated to either the intervention or control arm in a 1:1 ratio Participants will receive home-based DHC intervention by trained students, followed by 1-month of AI-generated digital interventions, including infographics, videos, and messages on the introduction and promotion of DHC, via WhatsApp. The primary outcome is to increase the proportion of District Health Centre members. Secondary outcomes include the proportion of participants utilizing DHC services, physical well-being, mental health, and feasibility metrics. Data will be collected via surveys at baseline and follow-ups (1, 3, and 6 months).
This proposed pilot study aims to improve primary healthcare service uptake among older adults in Hong Kong. In doing so, it seeks to support healthier aging, improve health outcomes, alleviate pressure on hospitals, and offer evidence-based framework for addressing the needs of aging populations.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Education on primary health care utilization | Experimental | Behavioral: Home-based and AI-generated digital interventionParticipants will receive education on primary healthcare services and their benefits for improving health outcomes. The education program includes a 1.5-hour face-to-face, home-based session and a 4-week AI-generated digital intervention. |
| Education on general health | Active comparator | Behavioral: Home-based and AI-generated digital interventionParticipants will receive general health education relevant to older adults. The program also includes a 1.5-hour face-to-face, home-based session and a 4-week AI-generated digital intervention. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 65 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- 65 years or older
- spoke Chinese
- are physically, mentally, and cognitively capable of engaging in simple physical tasks
- understanding survey questions
- non district health centre member
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- All subjects have the right to withdraw if they wish not to continue
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Home-based and AI-generated digital interventionThe home-based intervention is a 90-minute face-to-face session, during which trained student interns collect health assessment data and deliver theme-based, tailored health interventions. The digital intervention is a 1-month follow-up support involving daily messages via instant messaging apps (e.g., WhatsApp) that include health-related infographics, videos, and personalized advice. | Behavioural | Education on general health, Education on primary health care utilization |
Primary outcome
District health centre membership
Time frame: 3 months
The primary outcome is the proportion of older adults who become DHC members at 3 months.
1 secondary outcome
District health centre utilization
Time frame: 3 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 Apr 2026.
- Background: PubMed 40340793He AWJ, Yuan R, Luk TT, Wang KMP, Chan SSC. Boosting Digital Health Engagement Among Older Adults in Hong Kong: Pilot Pre-Post Study of the Generations Connect Project. JMIR Form Res. 2025 May 8;9:e69611. doi: 10.2196/69611.
- Background: PubMed 40460652Wan Jia Aaron H, Yuan R, Chan SCS. Socio-demographic and behavioral predictors of multiple-dose COVID-19 vaccine uptake among older adults in Hong Kong: A community-based cross-sectional study of the generations connect project. Vaccine. 2025 Aug 13;61:127308. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127308. Epub 2025 Jun 2.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42569307He AWJ, Cheung FHY, Shao Y, Chau MSL, Chan SSC. Enhancing District Health Center membership among older adults through intergenerational home-based and AI-generated digital interventions: protocol for a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial. Front Public Health. 2026 Jul 24;14:1832388. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1832388. eCollection 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Home-based and AI-generated digital intervention in people with Primary Health Care, run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Wanjia Aaron He, PhD (HK PolyU) (852 3917 6394, aaronhe@hku.hk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
District health centre membership (time frame: 3 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07252934, which also lists 3 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Apr 2026.