Awareness of stroke in a teaching hospital in North Karnataka: A cross-sectional study

Awareness of stroke in a teaching hospital in North Karnataka: A cross-sectional study

Blog Article

CONTEXT: The 2018 consensus statement of the Indian Stroke Association ranks stroke as the second leading cause of death in India, thus making it a public health challenge.The associated stigma and inadequate knowledge stand as a hurdle in early detection of the disease, which delays treatment leading to disabilities.AIMS: To assess the awareness of risk factors, warning symptoms, and treatment of stroke and its consequences.

METHODOLOGY: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted between July 2019 and January 2020.Relatives of patients who came to the outpatient and inpatient departments of psychiatry in a tertiary care teaching hospital in North Karnataka were invited to participate in this study and interviewed one to one and the responses were noted In Ground Product (Sanitization) in the questionnaire.RESULTS: Among the 403 people who were interviewed, 97.

5% had heard about stroke, 86.1% knew the signs and symptoms of stroke, and 81.8% knew the various risk factors associated with stroke.

Almost all responded that the stroke-affected person should be taken to the hospital.Seventy percent felt that it affected daily living, while around half responded that stroke was a preventable DISPLAYS disease but were unwilling to make lifestyle changes or modify the risk factors.The respondents agreed that health-care professionals were the best source of information about stroke in the community.

CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge about the warning symptoms and risk factors seems to be better in people attending the teaching hospital, but a lack of knowledge when it comes to treatment, stroke outcome, and prevention of stroke is evident.Health awareness activities should focus on treatment-seeking behavior, rehabilitation, and primary preventive aspects.