Rania Naguib1, Amel Fayed2, Abeer Bandar AlFadhliah3, Nora Saad AlMansour3, Razan Moataz AlDakheel3, Rana Mohammed AlQahtani3. 1. College of Medicine, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Internal Medicine Department, College of Medicine (Alexandria Faculty of Medicine), Alexandria University, Egypt. 2. College of Medicine, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt. Electronic address: Fayedam_200@hotmail.com. 3. College of Medicine, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the awareness level about stroke's risk factors, warning signs, and proper actions to be taken. METHOD: A cross-sectional study of 600 adults was conducted using a validated questionnaire. Participants who were able to recognize at least 5 risk factors, 3 warning signs, and defined calling the ambulance in the first 3 hours of a suspected incident were considered knowledgeable. RESULTS: The average age was (27.7 ± 11.5) with a female predominance. The majority (59.3%) were able to correctly define 5 or more risk factors, 68.3% of participants were able to identify at least 3 warning signs of stroke whilst 9.5% were not able to identify any warning signs. More than 70% of participants were willing to call ambulance within 3 hours while 86.2% preferred counseling doctors within 24 hours. Participants who intended to call the ambulance in the first 3 hours were significantly younger (76.1%), mainly students (45.4%) and were able to identify at least 5 risk factors (64.5%) and 3 warning signs of stroke (74.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite reporting a relatively higher level of public's knowledge regarding stroke, there is a persistent gap in their knowledge of stroke risk factors, and the importance of seeking emergency medical care.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the awareness level about stroke's risk factors, warning signs, and proper actions to be taken. METHOD: A cross-sectional study of 600 adults was conducted using a validated questionnaire. Participants who were able to recognize at least 5 risk factors, 3 warning signs, and defined calling the ambulance in the first 3 hours of a suspected incident were considered knowledgeable. RESULTS: The average age was (27.7 ± 11.5) with a female predominance. The majority (59.3%) were able to correctly define 5 or more risk factors, 68.3% of participants were able to identify at least 3 warning signs of stroke whilst 9.5% were not able to identify any warning signs. More than 70% of participants were willing to call ambulance within 3 hours while 86.2% preferred counseling doctors within 24 hours. Participants who intended to call the ambulance in the first 3 hours were significantly younger (76.1%), mainly students (45.4%) and were able to identify at least 5 risk factors (64.5%) and 3 warning signs of stroke (74.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite reporting a relatively higher level of public's knowledge regarding stroke, there is a persistent gap in their knowledge of stroke risk factors, and the importance of seeking emergency medical care.
Authors: Mohammed K T Abutaima; Ammar Almaghrabi; Rashed Alhazzaa; Abdullah Alaydaa; Abdulhakim Alshuraymi; Meshari Alzahim; Sohaib Ashour; Mohammed Alayed; Mukhlid Alshamrani; Ammar Fathi M Khalifa Journal: J Family Med Prim Care Date: 2021-01-30