Recognition of stroke-related knowledge among community residents and the improvement after intensive health education: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate the recognition of stroke-related knowledge in a community population (including high-risk groups for stroke) in Jinjiang District of Chengdu and to strengthen the publicity of the impact of stroke-related knowledge on community residents' stroke recognition by carrying out stroke-health education activities.Methods: By conducting an epidemiological survey, nine communities in Jinjiang District were sampled, and a questionnaire on stroke-related knowledge was designed to investigate the community residents in Jinjiang District of Chengdu City. We carried out stroke health education activities with the theme of "understanding stroke" and evaluated the impact.Results: There were 1685 valid questionnaires, and the awareness level of stroke risk among community residents in Jinjiang District of Chengdu was 11.4%. Participants with three or more risk factors were aware that the risk of stroke was only 40.3%. The recognition rate of stroke warning symptoms among community residents was 29.8-59.5%. Among them, the recognition rate of common stroke symptoms; such as limb weakness, language disorder, and imbalance; was more than 50%, and the cognitive proportion of rare symptoms including monocular or binocular blurred vision, and severe headache with no known cause was only about 1%. When faced with five sudden stroke warning symptoms, the proportion of participants who chose to make an emergency call (120, in China) was about 41.5%. Nearly 10% of the respondents chose to consult a doctor, take medicine, or wait. After strengthening publicity and education, there was a significant improvement in the identification of stroke risk factors, stroke warning symptoms, and stroke management. The number of respondents who chose to dial 120 increased from 59.2% to 82.7%. Conclusions: The recognition of stroke-related knowledge among community residents in JinjiangDistrict of Chengdu was low. Strengthening publicity and education on stroke-related knowledge and post-stroke treatment can significantly improve patients' cognition of stroke-related knowledge and enhance community residents' awareness of giving priority to dialing 120 after the onset of stroke symptoms.