Educating the masses to address a global public health priority: The Preventing Dementia Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

Parental acceptance of brain health programs for preschool children: a mixed-methods study exploring barriers, facilitators and future approaches

Background

Recent research proposes that as much as 40% of dementia risk is amendable. Promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors in early life through educational methods can cultivate habits that may decrease dementia risk in later life. This study explores parental acceptance of brain health programs tailored for preschool children, aiming to identify barriers and facilitators affecting parental and child engagement.

Methods

Mixed-methods cross-sectional study. Urban and suburban parents (N = 187, M age = 37.3 SD = 5.53, range = 29) of children aged three to five years across Australia. Parents participated in an online survey containing both open and closed questions exploring their personal views and opinions on brain health programs for their preschool children. Descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression analyses, and thematic analysis were used to explore sociodemographic factors associated with parental program acceptance.

Results

Most participants accepted a brain health program with over 98% agreeing a program would be useful for their child(ren). Participants with younger aged children were more likely to exhibit acceptance of a program (β = -0.209, p = 0.007). Three main categories emerged: dual home and preschool environments, the need for engaging brain health programs that were hands-on and screen-free, and addressing key barriers such as time and financial constraints to support implementation.

Conclusion

Participants valued educating their children for a healthy life and viewed brain health programs favorably. This study contributes to early childhood education discussions, offering guidance for future generations' brain health and wellbeing.

"Infographing" Dementia Prevention: A Co-Design Approach

Designing effective public health messages is challenging, particularly when communicating complex and relatively new health messages such as dementia risk prevention which are still largely unfamiliar to the public. The accessibility of these messages, especially for individuals who speak English as an additional language, remains uncertain in large scale educational interventions. A key strategy to enhance the communication of evidence-based information is to co-design infographics that optimize the accessibility and impact of visual health messages. This paper reports on the co-design process of infographing dementia prevention messages. Qualitative data were analyzed using reflective thematic analysis to generate three themes reflecting the message design preferences of participants: "all hands on deck," "charting the course," and "get on board." This work supports the crucial need to engage the target audience via co-design when creating visual messages as meaningful and accessible educational tools that will resonate with the intended audience. Doing so may help health communicators navigate the creation of visual messages across diverse health domains and populations.

Utilising massive open online courses to enhance global learning dissemination in cleft lip and palate: a case report of penta helix collaboration

BACKGROUND

Educating and raising awareness in cleft lip and palate future generations is one vital effort to ensure the improvement of cleft care and research in the future. This study reported the overview in organising and evaluating the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in Cleft Lip and Palate as the alternative way for students' capacity building outside their study program whilst also earning credits towards their studies.

METHODS

Smile Train cleft charity generously donated recorded lectures from cleft experts around the world in which each of the experts agreed to provide one-hour live discussion sessions. The learning activities ranging from lectures, pre- and post-course evaluation, forum, live discussion sessions, virtual visits to Indonesian Cleft Centre, self-reflection assignments and final project. A survey was released to the participants to collect their feedback.

RESULTS

The course mainly attracted dental students, and several allied health professional students. In total, 414 out of 717 participants registered for this MOOC managed to finish the course and received a certificate of completion which was run between August-October 2021. In general, participants positively received the course.

CONCLUSIONS

The MOOC model and its objective of disseminating widespread information across geographical boundaries to enhance learning about cleft lip and palate treatment was achieved. This report serves as an example for other educational institutions and stakeholders who plan to use online educational engagement platforms to provide high-quality education and capacity building to participants in lower-middle income countries.

Effects of Health Responsibility Frames on Attributions, Emotions, and Social Support Intentions in the Context of Dementias

When news stories cover health and diseases, they often address issues of responsibility. These responsibility frames can affect recipients' responsibility beliefs (i.e., attributions) and thereby affect emotions and motivations to support people affected by health problems. To date, it is not fully understood how responsibility frames affect these attributions, emotions, and social support intentions in the context of dementia. In an online experiment with N = 1,059 German participants, we tested the effects of different responsibility frames (individual vs. contextual) on social support intentions through responsibility attributions and emotional reactions in the context of dementia. Results show that responsibility frames affect responsibility attributions and social support intentions. Mediation analysis shows that the effect of contextual responsibility frames on social support intention is partially mediated by responsibility attribution and emotions (sympathy and anger). We discuss these findings considering framing effects research and media coverage.

Development and validation of educational multimedia to promote public health literacy about healthy cognitive aging

OBJECTIVES

Health literacy (HL) about healthy cognitive aging is essential in preventing cognitive decline and promoting cognitive well-being. It is important that one such HL module should be scientifically designed, delivered in a technically sound manner to the audience, and specific to the context. The present study thus aimed at developing and validating educational multimedia about cognitive health.

METHODS

The study followed a methodological framework and was carried out across three phases, that is, identification of themes, development and validation of educational script and design, and validation of educational multimedia. The module was scripted based on the Integrated HL framework and the recommendations made during the modified nominal group technique among the research team. Seven speech-language pathologists (SLPs), with expertise in the field of cognitive sciences, and 15 representatives of the general public validated the module using the Educational Content Validation Instrument in Health and the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Materials questionnaire.

RESULTS

The scientific content of the educational script received satisfactory agreements among the experts (content validity index [CVI]: 0.93) and representatives of the general public (CVI: 0.86). The technical aspects of the educational multimedia were rated to have high understandability (experts: 92.8%; representatives of general public: 98.8%) and actionability (experts and representatives of general public 100%).

CONCLUSION

Overall, the developed educational multimedia scored optimally with respect to the objective, structure, relevance of the content, actionability and understandability of the multimedia. The developed module holds the potential to be used at community and national level health educational programs or awareness campaigns to enhance public knowledge and beliefs pertaining to cognitive health.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

SLPs with expertise in the field of cognitive science and representatives from the general public were included to validate and obtain feedback on the developed educational multimedia.

An online, public health framework supporting behaviour change to reduce dementia risk: interim results from the ISLAND study linking ageing and neurodegenerative disease

BACKGROUND

Unmanaged cardiometabolic health, low physical and cognitive activity, poor diet, obesity, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are modifiable health risk factors for dementia and public health approaches to dementia prevention have been called for. The Island Study Linking Ageing and Neurodegenerative Disease (ISLAND) is a dementia prevention public health study examining whether improving knowledge about modifiable dementia risk factors supports behaviour changes that reduce future dementia risk.

METHODS

Residents of Tasmania, Australia, aged 50 + years who joined the 10-year ISLAND study were asked to complete annual online surveys about their knowledge, motivations and behaviours related to modifiable dementia risk. ISLAND included two knowledge-based interventions: a personalised Dementia Risk Profile (DRP) report based on survey responses, and the option to do a 4-week Preventing Dementia Massive Open Online Course (PDMOOC). Longitudinal regression models assessed changes in the number and type of risk factors, with effects moderated by exposures to the DRP report and engagement with the PDMOOC. Knowledge and motivational factors related to dementia risk were examined as mediators of risk behaviour change.

RESULTS

Data collected between October 2019 and October 2022 (n = 3038, av. 63.7 years, 71.6% female) showed the mean number of modifiable dementia risk factors per participant (range 0 to 9) reduced from 2.17 (SD 1.24) to 1.66 (SD 1.11). This change was associated with the number of exposures to the DRP report (p = .042) and was stronger for PDMOOC participants (p = .001). The interaction between DRP and PDMOOC exposures yielded a significant improvement in risk scores (p = .004). The effect of PDMOOC engagement on behaviour change was partly mediated by increased knowledge (12%, p = .013). Self-efficacy enhanced the effect of knowledge on behaviour change, while perceived susceptibility to dementia mitigated this relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

The ISLAND framework and interventions, a personalised DRP report and the four-week PDMOOC, work independently and synergistically to increase dementia risk knowledge and stimulate health behaviour change for dementia risk reduction. ISLAND offers a feasible and scalable public health approach for redressing the rising prevalence of dementia.

The Worldwide Utilization of Online Information about Dementia from 2004 to 2022: An Infodemiological Study of Google and Wikipedia

With the advent of Infodemics about health conditions, including dementia, nurses can engage in infodemiological studies to inform public health services and policies. This infodemiological study described the worldwide utilization of online information for dementia using Google Trends and Wikipedia page views. It found that the utilization of online information about dementia increased and will further increase using Google in succeeding years. Thus, the Internet is an increasingly important medium for dementia information in this age of misinformation and disinformation. Nurse informaticists can perform national infodemiological studies to inform and contextualize online dementia information. Likewise, public health, geriatric, and mental health nurses can collaborate with their communities and patients to address online disinformation and create culturally-appropriate information about dementia.

Digital Health Literacy and Person-Centred Care: Co-Creation of a Massive Open Online Course for Women with Breast Cancer

The diagnosis of breast cancer (BC) can make the affected person vulnerable to suffering the possible consequences of the use of low-quality health information. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) may be a useful and efficient resource to improve digital health literacy and person-centred care in this population. The aim of this study is to co-create a MOOC for women with BC, using a modified design approach based on patients' experience. Co-creation was divided into three sequential phases: exploratory, development and evaluation. Seventeen women in any stage of BC and two healthcare professionals participated. In the exploratory phase, a patient journey map was carried out and empowerment needs related to emotional management strategies and self-care guidelines were identified, as well as information needs related to understanding medical terminology. In the development phase, participants designed the structure and contents of the MOOC through a Moodle platform. A MOOC with five units was developed. In the evaluation phase, participants strongly agreed that their participation was useful for the MOOC's development and participating in the co-creation process made the content more relevant to them (experience in the co-creation); most of the participants positively evaluated the content or interface of the MOOC (acceptability pilot). Educational interventions designed by women with BC is a viable strategy to generate higher-quality, useful resources for this population.

The Drivers of Conversations About Dementia Risk Reduction: A Qualitative Study

Dementia prevention is an area of health where public knowledge remains limited. A growing number of education initiatives are attempting to rectify this, but they tend to reach audiences of limited size and diversity, limiting intervention-associated health equity. However, initiative participants tend to discuss these initiatives and the information they contain with members of their social network, increasing the number and diversity of people receiving dementia risk reduction information. In this qualitative study, we sought to understand the drivers of this information sharing. We interviewed 39 people from Tasmania, Australia who completed the Preventing Dementia Massive Open Online Course in May 2020. We identified themes from responses to semi-structured interview questions using reflexive thematic analysis. We identified three key drivers of information sharing: participants' personal course experiences; participants finding information sharing opportunities with people they expected to be receptive; and conversation partners' responses to conversation topics. These drivers aligned with existing communication theories, with dementia-related stigma effecting both actual and perceived conversation partner receptivity. Understanding the drivers of information sharing may allow information about dementia risk reduction, and other preventative health behaviors, to be presented in ways that facilitate information diffusion, increasing equity in preventative health education.

Development and Evaluation of a Massive Open Online Course on Healthcare Redesign: A Novel Method for Engaging Healthcare Workers in Quality Improvement

Healthcare workers are under increasing pressure to use limited resources more efficiently and improve patient outcomes. Healthcare redesign, a quality improvement methodology derived from the automotive industry, is a proven means of achieving these goals. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for nurses seeking to build their capacity for healthcare redesign often come in the form of university courses, which can be costly and prohibitively time-consuming. We developed a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) with a view to increasing the number of healthcare workers undertaking CPD in healthcare redesign and subsequently using these principles in their workplaces. The aim of the current study is to describe the development of our MOOC and its initial feedback from users. Materials and Methods: The theoretical and practical components of an existing postgraduate award course unit were made fit for purpose by being arranged into six weekly modules, before being transposed to an established learning management platform for MOOCs. Related quizzes, videos and interactive activities were then developed and included in each of these modules. Peer review of this content was completed by subject matter and teaching and learning experts prior to the MOOC being launched. Results: After running for nine months, 578 participants had enrolled in the MOOC, of whom 118 (20%) had followed through to completion. Participants were overwhelmingly from Australia (89%) and identified as female (78%). Preliminary feedback obtained from participants was positive, with 81% of respondents agreeing that they were satisfied with their experience, and 82% intending to apply their knowledge in practice. Conclusions: The MOOC has addressed a learning need by providing a brief and free form of education; learning from its development will help others seeking similar educational solutions. Initial feedback suggests the MOOC has been well-received and is likely to be translated into practice.

Examination of the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Efficacy of the Online Personalised Training in Memory Strategies for Everyday (OPTIMiSE) Program for Older Adults: Results from a Single-Arm Pre-Post Trial (Preprint)

BACKGROUND

Memory strategy training for older adults helps maintain and improve cognitive health but is traditionally offered face-to-face, which is resource intensive, limits accessibility, and is challenging during a pandemic. Web-based interventions, such as the Online Personalised Training in Memory Strategies for Everyday (OPTIMiSE) program, may overcome such barriers.

OBJECTIVE

We report on OPTIMiSE's feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy.

METHODS

Australians aged ≥60 years reporting subjective cognitive decline participated in this single-arm pre-post web-based intervention. OPTIMiSE is a 6-module web-based program offered over 8-weeks with a 3-month booster. It has a problem-solving approach to memory issues, focusing on psychoeducation about memory and aging, knowledge and practice of compensatory memory strategies, and personalized content related to individual priorities. We examined the feasibility (recruitment, attrition, and data collection), acceptability (recommendation to others, suggestions for improvement, and withdrawal reasons), and efficacy (change in goal satisfaction, strategy knowledge and use, self-reported memory, memory satisfaction and knowledge, and mood; thematic content analysis of the most significant change; and the application of knowledge and strategies in daily life) of OPTIMiSE.

RESULTS

OPTIMiSE was feasible, demonstrated by strong interest (633 individuals screened), a satisfactory level of attrition (158/312, 50.6%), and minimal missing data from those completing the intervention. It was acceptable, with 97.4% (150/154) of participants agreeing they would recommend OPTIMiSE, the main suggestion for improvement being more time to complete modules, and withdrawal reasons similar to those in in-person interventions. OPTIMiSE was also efficacious, with linear mixed-effects analyses revealing improvements, of moderate to large effect sizes, across all primary outcomes (all P<.001): memory goal satisfaction (Cohen d after course=1.24; Cohen d at 3-month booster=1.64), strategy knowledge (Cohen d after course=0.67; Cohen d at 3-month booster=0.72) and use (Cohen d after course=0.79; Cohen d at 3-month booster=0.90), self-reported memory (Cohen d after course=0.80; Cohen d at 3-month booster=0.83), memory satisfaction (Cohen d after course=1.25; Cohen d at 3-month booster=1.29) and knowledge (Cohen d after course=0.96; Cohen d at 3-month booster=0.26), and mood (Cohen d after course=-0.35; nonsignificant Cohen d at booster). Furthermore, the most significant changes reported by participants (strategy use, improvements in daily life, reduced concern about memory, confidence and self-efficacy, and sharing and shame busting with others) reflected the course objectives and were consistent with themes arising from previous in-person interventions. At the 3-month booster, many participants reported continued implementation of knowledge and strategies in their daily lives.

CONCLUSIONS

This feasible, acceptable, and efficacious web-based program has the potential to enable access to evidence-based memory interventions for older adults worldwide. Notably, the changes in knowledge, beliefs, and strategy use continued beyond the initial program. This is particularly important for supporting the growing number of older adults living with cognitive concerns.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12620000979954; https://tinyurl.com/34cdantv.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

RR2-10.3233/ADR-200251.

Dementia Risk Reduction in Primary Care: A Scoping Review of Clinical Guidelines Using a Behavioral Specificity Framework

Background: Primary care practitioners are being called upon to work with their patients to reduce dementia risk. However, it is unclear who should do what with whom, when, and under what circumstances. Objective: This scoping review aimed to identify clinical guidelines for dementia risk reduction (DRR) in primary care settings, synthesize the guidelines into actionable behaviors, and appraise the guidelines for specificity. Methods: Terms related to “dementia”, “guidelines”, and “risk reduction” were entered into two academic databases and two web search engines. Guidelines were included if they referred specifically to clinical practices for healthcare professionals for primary prevention of dementia. Included guidelines were analyzed using a directed content analysis method, underpinned by the Action-Actor-Context-Target-Time framework for specifying behavior. Results: Sixteen guidelines were included in the analysis. Together, the guidelines recommended six distinct clusters of actions for DRR. These were to 1) invite patients to discuss DRR, 2) identify patients with risk factors for dementia, 3) discuss DRR, 4) manage dementia risk factors, 5) signpost to additional support, and 6) follow up. Guidelines recommended various actors, contexts, targets, and times for performing these actions. Together, guidelines lacked specificity and were at times contradictory. Conclusion: Currently available guidelines allow various approaches to promoting DRR in primary care. Primary care teams are advised to draw on the results of the review to decide which actions to undertake and the locally appropriate actors, contexts, targets, and times for these actions. Documenting these decisions in more specific, local guidelines for promoting DRR should facilitate implementation.