Oral Presentation Australian and New Zealand Stroke Organisation Conference 2026

Text messages to improve stroke knowledge in the general community: a secondary outcome of the Love Your Brain multi-arm randomised controlled trial (139029)

Catherine Burns 1 2 , Seana L. Gall 3 , Rosanne Freak-Poli 1 2 4 , Muideen T. Olaiya 1 , Jan Cameron 1 , Dominique A. Cadilhac 1 2 5 , Lachlan L. Dalli 1 2 , Amanda G. Thrift 1 , Lisa Murphy 6 , Monique F. Kilkenny 1 2
  1. Department of Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
  2. Victorian Heart Institute, Clayton, VIC, Australia
  3. Menzies Institute of Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
  4. School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  5. Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
  6. Stroke Foundation, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Background: Love Your Brain is a digital platform for improving stroke knowledge and preventing stroke in the community.

Aims: To evaluate whether a 12-week text message intervention changed stroke knowledge, compared to controls.

Methods: Pre-planned secondary analysis of a multi-arm RCT. Participants aged ≥45 years without stroke were randomised to receive the intervention (31-61 tailored text messages) or control (five generic emails about risk factors) over 12 weeks. Intervention messages covered: stroke definition, signs of stroke, risk factors, and taking action for stroke prevention. Stroke knowledge was a secondary outcome measured at baseline and 12 weeks using the Stroke Knowledge Test (SKT; mean score out of 20). Change in knowledge between arms was analysed using generalised linear models, adjusted for baseline score, age and gender. McNemar’s test was used to compare question-level responses between timepoints.

Results: Among 623 participants (312 intervention, 311 control, 83% female, 55% ≥65 years), 511 completed the SKT at both timepoints. The intervention arm had increased stroke knowledge at 12 weeks compared to control (adjusted mean SKT scores increased by 0.58 points, 95% CI 0.20-0.96). Both arms improved responses about atrial fibrillation, aspirin, and secondary prevention. The intervention arm had significant improvements for another four questions (including TIA, stroke treatment). At 12 weeks, >50% of participants remained unaware of annual incidence, risks of alcohol and smoking, and post-stroke physical disabilities.

Conclusion: Text messages are effective at increasing stroke knowledge among community-dwelling Australians aged ≥45 years. Persistent knowledge gaps should be prioritised for future educational initiatives.