---
title: Mindful Walking Program for Older African Americans
nct_id: NCT06085196
overall_status: UNKNOWN
phase: NA
sponsor: University of South Carolina
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
primary_condition: Cognitive Function
countries: United States
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT06085196.md"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06085196"
ct_last_update_post_date: 2023-10-16
last_seen_at: "2026-05-12T06:59:19.685Z"
source: ClinicalTrials.gov (mirrored, no enrichment)
---
# Mindful Walking Program for Older African Americans

**Official Title:** Evaluation of an Outdoor Mindful Walking Program for Sustaining Cognitive Function in Older African Americans at Risk for Dementia

**NCT ID:** [NCT06085196](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06085196)

## Key Facts

- **Status:** UNKNOWN
- **Phase:** NA
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Target Enrollment:** 114
- **Lead Sponsor:** University of South Carolina
- **Collaborators:** Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- **Conditions:** Cognitive Function, Aging Well, Behavior, Health
- **Start Date:** 2023-05-16
- **Completion Date:** 2025-09-30
- **CT.gov Last Update:** 2023-10-16

## Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to understand the beneficial role of mindful walking in sustaining cognitive health in African American older adults who have elevated risk of developing neuropsychological diseases. The main question it aims to answer is "Does a multi-session mindful walking intervention lead to promising signals of sustaining cognitive health in vulnerable AA older adults?" The researchers in this 2-arm randomized controlled trial will compare the mindful walking group with a delayed mindful walking to see if the intervention efficacy is observed at multiple follow-up period.

## Detailed Description

African American (AA) older adults in the U.S. are disproportionally impacted by ADRD compared to other races and ethnicities. Mindful walking integrates two potentially protective factors of ADRD by elevating mindfulness and physical activity (i.e., walking), resulting in a synergistic behavioral strategy that is feasible and safe for older adults. However, the efficacy of using this intervention for cognitive health outcomes has not been tested using experimental designs. This study is a community-based, mindful walking randomized controlled trial to examine its efficacy on cognitive and other health outcomes in ADRD at-risk, AA older adults. This study will recruit 114 older adults (ages 60+ years) with elevated risk of developing ADRD from the Midlands region of South Carolina. Older adults were randomly assigned to participate in 24 sessions of mindful walking or a delayed mindful walking group (n=57 in each group). The study outcomes include various key brain health determinants, including cognitive function, quality of life, psychological well-being, physical activity, mindfulness, sleep, and overall health status. Participants in both groups follow identical measurement protocol of at baseline, 12 weeks, 18 weeks, and 24 weeks. The outcome measures are administered in the lab and in everyday settings. This study will generate preliminary evidence regarding the effects of mindful walking on sustaining cognition health. It will also inform future large-scale effectiveness trials to validate our study findings. If successful, this mindful walking program can be scaled up as a low-cost and viable lifestyle strategy to promote healthy cognitive aging in diverse older adult populations, including those at greatest risk.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 60 Years
- **Sex:** ALL
- **Healthy Volunteers:** Yes

```
Inclusion Criteria:

1. African American ages 60 and above
2. Mild symptoms of cognitive decline or MCI
3. Physically inactive or insufficiently active (based on the 2018 US guidelines)
4. Adequate hearing and visual ability to complete study tasks and assessments
5. English proficiency
6. Medically stable with or without medication
7. Capable of providing informed consent
8. Willing to be randomized to one of the two groups

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Clinical diagnosis of ADRD or other brain abnormalities (e.g., strokes, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease
2. Clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorders (i.e., depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder)
3. Unable to walk independently (i.e., need caregiver's assistance) 4) Plan to have surgery or relocate outside the area within the next 6 months

5\) Currently participate in other studies involving physical activity, mindfulness, or cognitive training
```

## Arms

- **Mindful walking** (EXPERIMENTAL) — Complete a 24-session outdoor mindful walking intervention over 3 months
- **Delayed mindful walking group** (OTHER) — Option to complete a delayed 24-session mindful walking

## Interventions

- **Mindful walking activity** (BEHAVIORAL) — Participate in 24 sessions of outdoor mindful walking on a local walking trail over three months

## Primary Outcomes

- **Cognitive Function as assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)** _(time frame: Baseline, 12,18,24 weeks follow-up)_ — MoCA is a rapid screening instrument for mild cognitive dysfunction. It assesses different cognitive domains: attention and concentration, executive functions, memory, language, conceptual thinking, calculations, and orientation.
- **Everyday Cognition as assessed by the NIH Mobile Toolbox** _(time frame: Baseline, 18, 24 weeks follow-up (4 days each), Weeks 12 and 13 (14 days))_ — The NIH Mobile Toolbox is a smartphone-based, ultra-brief cognitive assessments to measure different domains of cognition using the smartphone screen.

## Secondary Outcomes

- **Perceived Quality of Life as assessed by the EuroQol 5 dimensions and 5 levels questionnaire** _(time frame: Baseline, 12,18,24 weeks follow-up)_
- **Subjective Physical Activity Levels as assessed by the CHAMPS (Community Health Activities Model Program for Seniors) questionnaire** _(time frame: Baseline, 12,18,24 weeks follow-up)_
- **Device-based Physical Activity Levels as assessed by the activPAL Accelerometer** _(time frame: Weeks 12 and 13 (14 days))_
- **Mindfulness Level as assessed by the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire** _(time frame: Baseline, 12,18,24 weeks follow-up)_
- **Overall Health Status as assessed by the SF-36 self-report survey** _(time frame: Baseline, 12,18,24 weeks follow-up)_
- **Mobility as assessed by the 10-meter walk test** _(time frame: Baseline, 12,18,24 weeks follow-up)_
- **Perceived Stress as assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)** _(time frame: Baseline, 12,18,24 weeks follow-up)_
- **Depressive Symptoms as assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)** _(time frame: Baseline, 12,18,24 weeks follow-up)_
- **Sleep Quality as assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)** _(time frame: Baseline, 12,18,24 weeks follow-up)_

## Locations (1)

- University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, United States — _RECRUITING_

## Recent Field Changes (last 30 days)

- `status.overallStatus` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.primaryCompletionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.completionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.lastUpdatePostDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.phases` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.enrollmentCount` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.criteria` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.minAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.sex` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.primary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.secondary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.arms` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.interventions` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `sponsor.lead` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `sponsor.collaborators` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `results.hasResults` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `locations.university of south carolina|columbia|south carolina|united states` — added _(2026-05-12)_

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT06085196.md*  
*Source data (authoritative): https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06085196*  
*This page is a raw mirror with no AI summary, no editorial enrichment, and no Parkinson's-specific filtering.*