Abstract TP139: Community Stroke Outreach in the Stroke Belt: Early Outcomes from the Tulane Stroke Initiative

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a structured community-based stroke outreach program in improving stroke knowledge and awareness in a high-risk population. Introduction: Louisiana consistently ranks among the top five states for stroke mortality and has long been part of the “Stroke Belt.” Public education is critical for prevention and early recognition of stroke, yet community awareness remains limited. To address this gap, the Tulane Stroke Outreach Program launched in February 2025, offering free education sessions to the Greater New Orleans community. Methods: Educational events were conducted virtually and at community sites, advertised through local outreach. Attendance was recorded. Participants completed a presession survey assessing baseline stroke knowledge and an 8-question post session quiz emphasizing recognition of stroke signs, risk factors, and local comprehensive stroke centers. Pre- and post-session responses were compared. Results: From February–September 2025, 31 sessions were held with 760 participants; 59% completed the post session quiz. The mean score was 93%, with ischemic versus hemorrhagic stroke being the most challenging concept (82% correct). Among participants with paired presession and post session data (n=122), baseline self-reported knowledge did not predict higher post session performance (94% each), suggesting the program effectively educated both novices and those with prior familiarity. Conclusions: This community stroke outreach program achieved strong participation and high knowledge gains, regardless of baseline familiarity. These findings highlight the potential of community-based education to improve stroke awareness in the Stroke Belt. Future efforts will focus on reinforcing difficult concepts, evaluating long-term knowledge retention, and tailoring approaches for populations with low health literacy to maximize public health impact.