Knowledge of Risk Factors and Stroke Symptoms among Nonstroke Patients

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 que...

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Published inEuropean neurology Vol. 67; no. 4; pp. 220 - 225
Main Authors Wiszniewska, Małgorzata, Głuszkiewicz, Marcin, Kobayashi, Adam, Włodek, Agata, Jezierska-Ostapczuk, Agnieszka, Fryze, Waldemar, Członkowska, Anna
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 01.04.2012
Subjects
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Arrhythmias, Cardiac - epidemiology
Awareness
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Hypercholesterolemia - epidemiology
Male
Middle Aged
Original Paper
Poland - epidemiology
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Stroke - diagnosis
Stroke - epidemiology
Stroke - physiopathology
Young Adult
Poland
Stroke symptoms
Cerebrovascular risk factors
Awareness
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Summary: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.
ISSN:0014-3022
1421-9913
DOI:10.1159/000335569