Knowledge of Risk Factors and Stroke Symptoms among Nonstroke Patients

Abstract

Background and Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate knowledge of stroke warning signs, risk factors, treatment and prevention among patients not suffering from stroke. Methods: Patients admitted to one of five Neurology Departments in Poland for diseases other than stroke were asked to answer a questionnaire regarding awareness of cerebrovascular risk factors and stroke. The study was performed between November 1 and December 31,2008. Results: 481 patients were included in the study (59.7% women). Proper definition of stroke and transient ischemic attack was given by 90.3 and 60.5% of respondents, respectively. Hypertension was reported as a risk factor by 91.1% of participants. Approximately 70% knew that hypercholesterolemia and smoking are risk factors of stroke, but only one third identified diabetes mellitus as a risk factor. Cardiac arrhythmia was recognized as a risk factor by 8.4%. Twenty-five percent of participants did not know any symptom of stroke. Identification of stroke signs was worse by participants from rural areas. Ten percent identified disturbances of consciousness, numbness, and dizziness as stroke symptoms. Conclusions: The knowledge of fundamental risk factors was sufficiently good, but recognition of cardiac arrhythmia and diabetes mellitus was unsatisfactory. The knowledge of stroke symptoms was unsatisfactory, particularly in rural areas. Additional education programs are necessary.

Stroke Knowledge Level Among Stroke Patients Admitted to Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Kelantan, Malaysia

“…Less than half of the treatments of stroke such as Aspirin as an anti-platelet and surgery to release the blockage were known by the stroke patients. These findings were similar to other previous studies that some of stroke patients did not know the purpose of anti-platelet and rTPA as a thrombolysis agent for stroke treatment (Wiszniewska M 2012, Zeng Y et al 2012). This findings however, contradicted to studies conducted in Rotterdam and Australia when they found 81% and 79% of their stroke patients were able to understand the function of the anti-platelet agents in influencing the blood clotting process (Pandian JD et al 2006, Maasland L et al 2007).…”

“…However, nearly half of the stroke patients in this study did not know that arterial fibrillation (AF) induced the occurrence of stroke more severe among other risk factors. Similar pattern were found in other studies that highlighted other important risk factors including AF, chronic pressure and metabolic syndrome were also identified by less than half of the population with the range between 8.4% to 30% (Pandian JD et al 2006, Sullivan KA and Waugh D. 2005, Wiszniewska M. 2012). …”

Stroke Awareness in Two Estonian Cities: Better Knowledge in Subjects with Advanced Age and Higher Education

“…The majority of respondents (85%) knew that stroke is a disturbance in the brain’s blood supply. This is comparable with the studies from Australia [9] and the Czech Republic [21,23]. The respondents were aware that stroke occurs suddenly.…”

“…Numerous studies using different methods (telephone interviews, face-to-face questioning, internet-based surveys, etc.) have confirmed low public awareness of stroke warning signs and stroke risk factors which contribute to late arrival and limited use of thrombolysis [9,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21]. A recent study of risk factor awareness among stroke survivors showed that older patients and those with excellent recovery are at risk for poor awareness even after stroke [22].…”

Public Knowledge about Stroke

“…These factors caused a delay in seeking medical care [17]. The other study in Hungary documented that rural people had less information about stroke [18].…”