"Factors Affecting Stroke Knowledge and Awareness in Emergency Patients in Izmir City"
Makaleler > Tam Makale · 2022
Yazarlar: Mustafa Sever
Open Access Journal of Biomedical Science, Uluslararası, 2022, cilt 4
Özet
Objectives: Knowing stroke risk factors and recognizing stroke warning signs are critical for reaching both to preventive and emergency stroke treatments.In this study, we aimed to evaluate the stroke knowledge and perceptions of the people who live in Izmir province and to determine the factors affecting their awareness.Methods: This is a multicentre population-based survey.The number of participants was determined by simple random sampling method.Volunteers who had applied to the emergency services and gave consent for participation were enrolled into the study, consecutively.The questionnaire was filled out by face-to-face interviews at the hospital by professional interviewers.Results: Most of the participants were female and lived in the urban areas.39% had stroke story in their family.32.8% had at least one risk factor.The most frequently observed risk factor among the participants was smoking (42.7%).One-third of participants did not know which organ's dysfunction caused stroke.84% of participants reported that the level of their knowledge about stroke was insufficient.One-fifth of participants believed that stroke was a consequence of evil spirits.Paralysis or weakness of one side of the body (93.8%) was determined as most known stroke warning sign.Primary sources of information were family and friends.Conclusion: We showed that there is insufficiency in knowledge and awareness about stroke risk factors and recognition of warning signs.Community based education programs using mass media will be effective in meeting the need for knowledge and in reaching larger communities.