BACKGROUND: Public stroke awareness and knowledge may be supportive for stroke prevention and emergency care-seeking behavior after the acute event, which is highly important for early treatment onset. AIMS: In an urban population in Northern Germany (Hannover), a six-month stroke educational campaign was conducted. We expected an increase in stroke knowledge and awareness thereafter. METHODS: Computer-assisted telephone interviews were randomly conducted among 1004 representative participants before and 1010 immediately after the educational multimedia campaign. The computer-assisted telephone interviews focused on questions about stroke knowledge and interventions remembered. RESULTS:Knowledge of stroke risk factors increased during the campaign for overweight, physical inactivity, old age, and stroke in family (P < 0·05). The knowledge of stroke warning signs was low, although it significantly increased during the campaign (P < 0·001) as paresis/weakness (46%) and speech problems (31%) were most frequently named. The majority of respondents indicated that the first action after suffering from stroke should be calling emergency care (74% before vs. 84% after campaign, P < 0·001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that stroke knowledge and awareness, which could provide earlier presentation to the emergency unit for timely treatment onset, are still low in urban Northern Germany but may decisively be increased by educational campaigns.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND:Public stroke awareness and knowledge may be supportive for stroke prevention and emergency care-seeking behavior after the acute event, which is highly important for early treatment onset. AIMS: In an urban population in Northern Germany (Hannover), a six-month stroke educational campaign was conducted. We expected an increase in stroke knowledge and awareness thereafter. METHODS: Computer-assisted telephone interviews were randomly conducted among 1004 representative participants before and 1010 immediately after the educational multimedia campaign. The computer-assisted telephone interviews focused on questions about stroke knowledge and interventions remembered. RESULTS: Knowledge of stroke risk factors increased during the campaign for overweight, physical inactivity, old age, and stroke in family (P < 0·05). The knowledge of stroke warning signs was low, although it significantly increased during the campaign (P < 0·001) as paresis/weakness (46%) and speech problems (31%) were most frequently named. The majority of respondents indicated that the first action after suffering from stroke should be calling emergency care (74% before vs. 84% after campaign, P < 0·001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that stroke knowledge and awareness, which could provide earlier presentation to the emergency unit for timely treatment onset, are still low in urban Northern Germany but may decisively be increased by educational campaigns.
Authors: Martin Ebinger; Sascha Lindenlaub; Alexander Kunz; Michal Rozanski; Carolin Waldschmidt; Joachim E Weber; Matthias Wendt; Benjamin Winter; Philipp A Kellner; Sabina Kaczmarek; Matthias Endres; Heinrich J Audebert Journal: J Vis Exp Date: 2013-11-26 Impact factor: 1.355
Authors: Leonard Baatiema; Ama de-Graft Aikins; Adem Sav; George Mnatzaganian; Carina K Y Chan; Shawn Somerset Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2017-04-27 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Fidel Meira; Daiane Magalhães; Luiz Sérgio da Silva; Ana Clara Mendonça E Silva; Gisele Sampaio Silva Journal: Cerebrovasc Dis Extra Date: 2018-05-22