Ingrid van der Mei

Issue addressed Evaluated the impact of the Understanding Multiple Sclerosis (MS) massive open online course, which was intended to increase understanding and awareness about MS, on self‐reported health behaviour change 6 months after course completion. Methods Observational cohort study evaluating precourse(baseline) and postcourse (immediately postcourse and six‐month follow‐up) survey data. The main study outcomes were self‐reported health behaviour change; change type; and measurable improvement. We also collected participant characteristic data (eg, age, physical activity). We compared participants who reported health behaviour change at follow‐up to those who did not and compared those who improved to those who did not using χ 2 and t tests. Participant characteristics, change types and change improvement were described descriptively. Consistency between changes reported immediately postcourse and at the 6‐month follow‐up was assessed using χ 2 tests and textual analysis. Results N = 303 course completers were included in this study. The study cohort included MS community members (eg, people with MS, healthcare providers) and nonmembers. N = 127 (41.9%) reported behaviour change in ≥1 area at follow‐up. Of these, 90 (70.9%) reported a measured change, and of these, 57 (63.3%) showed improvement. The most reported change types were knowledge, exercise/physical activity and diet. N = 81 (63.8% of those reporting a change) reported a change in both immediately and 6 months after course completion, with 72.0% of those that described both changes giving similar responses each time. Conclusion Understanding MS encourages health behaviour change among course completers up to 6 months after course completion. So what? An online education intervention can effectively encourage health behaviour change over a 6‐month follow‐up period, suggesting a transition from acute change to maintenance. The primary mechanisms underpinning this effect are information provision, including both scientific evidence and lived experience, and goal‐setting activities and discussions.