Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Educating the Public About Stroke

Role in Improving Outcomes

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Disease Management & Health Outcomes

Abstract

Acute stroke affects large numbers of people worldwide. It causes significant morbidity and mortality. Data support the hypothesis that the public is not familiar with either the risk factors or the signs of stroke. Educating the public about stroke may result in a lower incidence of the disease as individuals modify their risk factors, and in improved outcomes as a result of reductions in delays to treatment. There is clear and convincing evidence that reducing delays to treatment of patients with acute stroke results in improved outcomes. Public education programs should be broad-based, tailored to individual audiences, and carry a common theme.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. American Heart Association. 2001 Heart and stroke statistical update. Dallas (TX): American Heart Association, 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Gallagher PK. Comprehensive education plan for a discrete stroke population: needs, considerations, and gaps. Axone 1999; 20 (4): 88–92.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Venketasubramanian N. Stroke in Singapore: an overview. Singapore Med J 1999; 40 (1): 48–52.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Lott C, Hennes HJ, Dick W. Stroke: a medical emergency. J Accid Emerg Med 1999; 16 (1): 2–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Horner RD. The high cost of stroke to society, the family, and the patient. Pharmacotherapy 1988; 18 (3): 87S–93S.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Asia Pacific consensus forum on stroke management. Stroke 1998; 29(8): 1730–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke rt-PA Stroke Study Group. Tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke. N Engl J Med 1995; 333 (24): 1581–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Hacke W, Kaste M, Fieschi C, et al. Intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator for acute hemispheric stroke. The European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study (ECASS). JAMA 1995; 274 (13): 1017–25.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Herd AM. Current management of acute ischaemic stroke, part 1: thrombolytics and the 3-hour window. Can Fam Phys 2001 Sep; 47: 1787–93.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Hacke W, Brott T, Caplan L, et al. Thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke: controlled trials and clinical experience. Neurology 1999; 53 (7 Suppl. 4): S3–14.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Adams JRHP, Brott TG, Furlan AJ, et al. Guidelines for thrombolytic therapy for acute stroke: a supplement to the guidelines for the management of patients with acute ischemic stroke: a statement for healthcare professionals from a special writing group of the stroke council, American Heart Association. Stroke 1996; 27 (9): 1711–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. European stroke council, European neurological society and European federation of Neurological Societies. European Stroke Initiative recommendations for stroke management. Cerebrovasc Dis 2000; 10 (5): 335–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Osborn TM, LaMonte MP, Gaasch WR. Intravenous thrombolytic therapy for stroke: a review of recent studies and controversies. Ann Emerg Med 1999; 34 (2): 244–55.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Pepe PE, Zachariah BS, Sayre MR, et al. Ensuring the chain of recovery for stroke in your community. Acad Emerg Med 1998; 5 (4): 352–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Schellinger PD, Fiebach JB, Mohr A, et al. Thrombolytic therapy for ischemic stroke: a review. Part ii: intra-arterial thrombolysis, vertebrobasilar stroke, phase iv trials, and stroke imaging. Crit Care Med 2001; 29 (9): 1819–25.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Evenson KR, Schroeder EB, Legare TB, et al. A comparison of emergency medical services times for stroke and myocardial infarction. Prehosp Emerg Care 2001; 5 (4): 335–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Todd H. Lessons from current and previous stroke public education campaigns. In: Marier PJ, Jones PW, Emr M, editors. Rapid identification and treatment of acute stroke. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 1997 Aug: 127–30.

  18. Kothari R, Sauerbeck L, Jauch E, et al. Patients’ awareness of stroke signs, symptoms, and risk factors. Stroke 1997; 28 (10): 1871–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Williams LS, Bruno A, Rouch D, et al. Stroke patients’ knowledge of stroke: influence on time to presentation. Stroke 1997; 28 (5): 912–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Hankey GJ. Stroke: how large a public health problem, and how can the neurologist help? Arch Neurol 1999; 56 (6): 748–54.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Fang XH, Kronmal RA, Li SC, et al. Prevention of stroke in urban china: a community-based intervention trial. Stroke 1999; 30 (3): 495–501.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Lacy CR, Suh DC, Bueno M, et al. Delay in presentation and evaluation for acute stroke: Stroke time registry for outcomes knowledge and epidemiology (S.T.R.O.K.E.). Stroke 2001; 32 (1): 63–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Daley S, Braimah J, Sailor S, et al. Education to improve stroke awareness and emergent response: the NINDS rt-pa stroke study group. J Neurosci Nurs 1997; 29 (6): 393–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Weltermann BM, Homann J, Rogalewski A, et al. Stroke knowledge among stroke support group members. Stroke 2000; 31 (6): 1230–3.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Levy NA. How do we get from here to there? The message, the audience, and the medium. In: Marier PJ, Jones PW, Emr M, editors. Rapid identification and treatment of acute stroke. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 1997 Aug: 143–6.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Maibach EW. Lessons for success in public education campaigns. In: Marier PJ, Jones PW, Emr M, editors. Rapid identification and treatment of acute stroke. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 1997 Aug: 131–4.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Barch CA. Seeking health care following stroke: public education. In: Marier PJ, Jones PW, Emr M, editors. Rapid identification and treatment of acute stroke. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 1997 Aug: 135–42.

  28. Spilker JA. The importance of patient and public education in ishemic stroke. In: Marier PJ, Emr M, editors. Rapid identification and treatment of acute stroke. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 1997 Aug: 119–25.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Becker K, Fruin M, Gooding T, et al. Community-based education improves stroke knowledge. Cerebrovasc Dis 2001; 11 (1): 34–43.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Fogelholm R, Murros K, Rissanen A, et al. Factors delaying hospital admission after acute stroke. Stroke 1996; 27 (3): 398–400.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Azzimondi G, Bassein L, Fiorani L, et al. Variables associated with hospital arrival time after stroke: effect of delay on the clinical efficiency of early treatment. Stroke 1997; 28 (3): 537–42.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Stern EB, Berman M, Thomas JJ, et al. Community education for stroke awareness: an efficacy study. Stroke 1999; 30 (4): 720–3.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Alberts MJ, Perry A, Dawson DV, et al. Effects of public and professional education on reducing the delay in presentation and referral of stroke patients. Stroke 1992; 23 (3): 352–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author prepared this manuscript in the course of his employment with the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Texas, USA. No other sources of funding were used to assist in the preparation of this manuscript. The author has no potential conflicts of interest relevant to the contents of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA

    Richard N. Bradley (Clinical Assistant Professor, assistant medical director)

Authors
  1. Richard N. Bradley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Richard N. Bradley.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bradley, R.N. Educating the Public About Stroke. Dis-Manage-Health-Outcomes 11, 321–325 (2003). https://doi.org/10.2165/00115677-200311050-00005

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00115677-200311050-00005

Keywords

Search

Navigation