Lightning Oral Presentation Australian and New Zealand Stroke Organisation Conference 2026

Engagement with a stroke prevention massive open online course: a secondary analysis of the Love Your Brain randomised controlled trial (139377)

Aastha Gurung 1 , Seamus Barker 1 , Rachel E. Climie 1 , Rosanne Freak-Poli 2 3 , Catherine Burns 2 , Monique F. Kilkenny 2 4 , Tara Purvis 2 , Christine Farmer 1 , Brenda Booth 5 , Janet E. Bray 3 , Dominique A. Cadilhac 2 4 , Jan Cameron 2 , Lachlan L. Dalli 2 , Steph Ho 6 , Eleanor Horton 6 , Timothy Kleinig 7 , Lisa Murphy 6 , Mark R. Nelson 1 , Muideen T. Olaiya 2 , Amanda G. Thrift 2 , Seana L. Gall 1
  1. Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
  2. Stroke and Aging Research, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
  3. School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine , Monash University, Melbourne , Victoria , Australia
  4. Stroke and Critical Care Research Theme, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
  5. Australian Stroke Coalition, Melbourne , Victoria , Australia
  6. Stroke Foundation , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia
  7. Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia , Australia

Background/Aim: Massive open online courses (MOOCs) provide opportunities to educate the public on stroke to enhance knowledge for prevention. Understanding how engagement and completion of MOOCs varies by participant characteristics can ensure they cater to diverse community needs and are fit-for-purpose. We aimed to examine the association between engagement and completion of a stroke prevention MOOC and participant characteristics.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of the Love Your Brain multi-arm randomised controlled trial. Participants were adults aged ≥45 years without a history of stroke. The MOOC comprised six core modules to build understanding of stroke and nine optional mini-modules on risk factors and action planning. Participant demographic characteristics (age, sex, education, employment, and country of birth) were collected. MOOC user data was used to examine engagement, considering completion of each module (yes/no) and overall completion (all core + 1 risk factor mini-module + 1 action plan mini-module). Associations between participant characteristics and overall completion were analysed using multivariable log-binomial regression, adjusting for confounders.

Results: Among 311 participants enrolled in the MOOC (82.3% female; 55.6% aged ≥65 years), engagement with modules declined from 78.2% (n=244) completing Module 1 to 30.1% (n=94) completing Module 6. In total, 64.2% (n=204) did not complete any mini-modules. Overall, 26.3% (n=82) completed the entire MOOC. There was no detectable difference in completion according to participant characteristics.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the MOOC was accessible across diverse participants. Future qualitative studies to identify barriers to engagement and completion may inform strategies to support sustained participation.