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Community Interventions to Increase Stroke Preparedness and Acute Stroke Treatment Rates

  • Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke (Shyam Prabhakaran, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Atherosclerosis Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Acute stroke treatments reduce the risk of post-stroke disability. These treatments, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and intra-arterial treatment, are highly time-dependent; thus, one of the main barriers to treatment is pre-hospital delay. Stroke preparedness is defined as the ability to recognize stroke symptoms and the intent to activate emergency medical services (EMS). This review describes types of acute stroke treatment and preparedness interventions, including recent mass media interventions to increase acute stroke treatment rates, and adult and youth community interventions to increase stroke preparedness.

Recent Findings

The mass media campaigns show mixed results regarding acute stroke treatment rates, possibly attributed to the various media platforms utilized and resources available. The adult and youth community interventions reveal an overall increase in stroke symptom recognition and behavioral intent to call EMS. However, most of these community interventions were not grounded in health behavior theory, and they were tested in single group, pre-post test study designs that assessed behavioral rather than clinical outcomes. The delivery of stroke preparedness information by youth to adults, for example via home assignments, is a promising and innovative approach to stroke preparedness.

Summary

Mass media and community interventions show promise to increase stroke preparedness and acute stroke treatment rates. The development of health behavior theory-based interventions that are tested via scientifically rigorous study designs are needed to prioritize which interventions should be disseminated to culturally and socially similar communities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stroke Program, Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, 1500 East Medical Center Drive SPC#5855, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5855, USA

    Kathleen M. Kelly, Kathryn T. Holt, Gina M. Neshewat & Lesli E. Skolarus

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  1. Kathleen M. Kelly
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  2. Kathryn T. Holt
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  3. Gina M. Neshewat
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  4. Lesli E. Skolarus
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Correspondence to Lesli E. Skolarus.

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Kathleen M. Kelly, Kathryn T. Holt, Gina M. Neshewat, and Lesli E. Skolarus declare no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke

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Kelly, K.M., Holt, K.T., Neshewat, G.M. et al. Community Interventions to Increase Stroke Preparedness and Acute Stroke Treatment Rates. Curr Atheroscler Rep 19, 64 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-017-0695-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-017-0695-5

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