Poster The Joint Annual Meeting of the Stroke Society of Australasia (SSA) and Smartstrokes 2023

Love Your Brain: Protocol for a novel stroke prevention digital platform (#201)

Monique F. Kilkenny 1 2 , Dominique A. Cadilhac 1 2 , Amanda G. Thrift 1 , Janet Bray 1 , Jan Cameron 1 , Muideen Olaiya 1 , Timothy Kleinig 3 , Lisa Murphy 4 , Hoang Phan 5 , Tara Purvis 1 , Mark Nelson 5 , Eleanor Horton 4 , Brenda Booth 4 , Rosanne Freak-Poli 1 , Christine Farmer 5 , Lachlan Dalli 1 , Catherine Burns 1 , Kayla Viney 4 , Andrea Sanders 4 , Seana Gall 5
  1. Monash University, Clayton, VICTORIA, Australia
  2. Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  3. University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
  4. Stroke Foundation, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  5. Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Background: Stroke is highly preventable through effective management of risk factors. Most Australians have at least one risk factor for stroke but there are insufficient population-based strategies for preventing stroke. The growing demand for Stroke Foundation’s StrokeSafe (stroke education) presentations suggests that Australians are eager to learn about stroke prevention. To deliver the StrokeSafe presentations at scale, more accessible, effective, and cost-effective digital education programs are needed.

Aims: To co-design (with people with lived experience of stroke), implement and evaluate a novel multi-component digital health platform (Love Your Brain) for stroke prevention.

Methods: The Love Your Brain digital platform will comprise an online, structured stroke education program (Massive Online Open Course), and reinforcement messages via SMS/email. The digital platform is currently being co-designed with two advisory panels (community members and stroke knowledge experts; Stage 1). The platform will then be tested in a pragmatic feasibility pilot study (Stage 2) and evaluated in a three-arm randomised clinical trial (Stage 3). The primary outcome will be self-reported general practitioner visits for assessment of risk factors for stroke (e.g. blood pressure, lipids) within 12 weeks post-randomisation (verified using Medicare data). Secondary outcomes include improved knowledge of signs and risk factors of stroke, uptake of healthy behaviours, and medication adherence.

Results: Co-design of the digital platform is currently underway through a series of focus groups (to be completed October 2023) with significant interest from community members and stroke knowledge experts. Stage 2 testing of pragmatic feasibility will be initiated in early 2024. Stage 3 evaluation of the randomised control trial will be undertaken 2024/2025.

Conclusion: The Love Your Brain digital platform is generating substantial interest from stakeholders in Australia, who are actively involved in the co-design process. If effective, this platform will improve public awareness of stroke and management of risk factors.