Objective: We aimed to develop a freely accessible massive open online course (MOOC) on Parkinson’s disease, including modules addressing symptoms, diagnosis, underlying biology, medical management, multidisciplinary care, and strategies for living well with the condition.

Background: International guidelines emphasise that people living with Parkinson’s should have access to reliable information and a knowledgeable multidisciplinary team. Despite this, awareness of the full breadth of Parkinson’s remains limited. This can delay diagnosis, hindering trial recruitment and appropriate symptom management. The Parkinson’s MOOC addresses these gaps by providing a free and comprehensive resource.

Method: The course was co-designed with people with Parkinson’s, care partners, clinicians and researchers from six continents. Five modules were created to deliver foundational knowledge with a personal perspective, incorporating animations, quizzes, interactive activities and >80 interviews from stakeholders. Participants provided consent to research before completing pre- and post-MOOC surveys. The first iteration of the course closed after ~14 weeks to facilitate data-analysis and to action participant feedback.

Results: Post-course closing, 24,265 participants (n=162 countries) had enrolled, with 37.3% completing the course. Of these, 11,473 (mean age 51 years, 81% female) consented to research and 7,123 completed the pre-surveys: 7% had Parkinson’s, 17% had a family member with Parkinson’s, and 71% were health professionals (74% work in roles that have or continue to provide services for people with Parkinson’s). Ongoing research will explore knowledge change from pre-to-post MOOC surveys. Class Central ratings were 4.9/5, placing the MOOC 4^th globally among ~12,000 Health and Medicine courses. Reviews portrayed the course as a well-crafted educational resource that informs, inspires, and supports a global audience interested in Parkinson’s.

Conclusion: Strong global enrolment and positive participant feedback demonstrate substantial interest in accessible Parkinson’s education. The MOOC has the capacity to influence and improve knowledge on Parkinson’s, as shown in participant enrolment and survey completion figures. Future iterations will focus on tailoring content to specific stakeholder needs and expand as a data collection tool.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/from-down-under-to-a-global-audience-engaging-25000-people-across-160-countries-to-improve-parkinsons-knowledge-and-awareness/