Knowledge, attitude, and practice of stroke and thrombolysis among students preparing for undergraduate medical entrance examination in Kathmandu, Nepal

Abstract

Background Stroke is a major disabling disease, especially for low and middle‐income countries like Nepal. The aim of our study is to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among the students preparing for undergraduate medical entrance examination regarding risk factors, warning signs and symptoms, and management of stroke. Methods A cross‐sectional, single staged study using self‐structured questionnaire intended to assess KAP about stroke and thrombolysis was conducted. Results A total of 378 students participated in our study (53% male; mean age = 18.12 ± 0.97). Majority of the participants (88.4%) had heard about stroke. The more common risk factors identified by them were hypertension (86.2%), oily food (48%), alcohol (37.8%), and smoking (32.8%). Limb weakness, slurring of speech and facial weakness as symptoms and signs of stroke were indicated by 43.4%, 30.2%, and 18.8% of the participants, respectively. Only 23.8% of the participants had heard about thrombolysis and 10% of all could rightly mention the window period of thrombolysis. Male participants had better knowledge about smoking [86 (43.0) vs 38 (21.3); P < .001] and oily food [108 (54.0) vs 73 (41.0); P = .012] being risk factors and facial weakness [50 (37.6) vs 21 (11.8); P = .001] being symptom of stroke compared with females. Similarly, male participants had heard more about thrombolysis than females [68 (34.0) vs 22 (12.4); P < .001]. Conclusion Knowledge regarding risk factors and signs and symptoms of stroke was adequate among the students preparing for undergraduate medical entrance examination. However, knowledge about thrombolysis was poor. Male participants had better knowledge about risk factors, warning signs and symptoms of stroke, and thrombolysis compared with female.

Assessment of Knowledge and attitude towards Stroke among the UAE population during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

“…Pradhan et al reported better knowledge among male participants 42 ; however, Thapa et al reported that gender was not associated with knowledge of risk factors or warning signs. 43 Similar to Thapa et al study, 43 in our study, gender was not a determinant of either knowledge or attitudes.…”

“…Studies from Nepal have reported knowledge of stroke in the younger demographics. 42 , 43 Participants reported knowing someone with a stroke which could have contributed to better understanding. 43 However, many participants did not recognize stroke as a brain disease.…”

Are we aware of stroke risk factors and warning signs amid COVID-19? Knowledge and attitude towards risk-factors, signs and symptoms of stroke among the UAE population during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

“…Studies from Nepal have reported knowledge of stroke in the younger demographics. 35,36 Participants reported knowing someone with a stroke which could have contributed to better understanding. 36 However, many participants did not recognize stroke as a brain disease.…”

Developing clinical decision making in stroke through virtual online simulation: automated asynchronous or instructor-led synchronous feedback? A randomized controlled trial

“…(38,39,40,41) Between simulation strategies implemented, it was an online simulation-based pediatric emergency medicine training intervention, with high levels of satisfaction reported by learners, but with some concerns between 40 % of the faculties about the effectivity of the online simulation compared to onsite simulations. (42,43,44,45,46) Another study on hybrid emergency simulation shows that the online simulation observation with instructor-driven debriefing had the same satisfaction appreciation as onsite simulations. (47,48) An earlier study suggested that an online virtual simulator may be as effective for learning team skills as standardized patient emergency simulations.…”