Awareness of Acute Stroke Among the General Population in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background A stroke is an abrupt neurological deficit that occurs due to a vascular origin. Stroke is one of the main causes of functional disability and irreversible brain damage globally. Following cancer and ischemic heart disease, stroke ranks as the third-highest contributor to adult mortality. According to studies conducted in Saudi Arabia, the estimated annual incidence of stroke was 29.8 per 100,000 individuals. Patients who are at risk for stroke and their families should be aware of the danger of stroke and be familiar with the symptoms. Stroke warning signs include abrupt weakness in the face or limbs, confusion, speech slurring, vision problems, difficulty in walking, and severe headache with no obvious explanation. The burden of stroke consequences can be greatly reduced by early detection of stroke symptoms and prompt treatment for acute attacks. A delay in seeking medical attention following a stroke attack has been linked to poor knowledge of stroke symptoms and risk factors. Furthermore, an important factor in reducing the incidence of stroke is public awareness of risk factors, symptoms, and prevention strategies. General awareness of stroke leads to a proper response to stroke, pursuit of medical treatment, and a better outcome. Aim The aim of this study is to assess the awareness of acute stroke among the general population in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 in the western region of Saudi Arabia. An online, validated, self-administered questionnaire was distributed randomly. The estimated sample size was 385, and 539 were the collected responses. Results More than half of the respondents were females (66.0%) (n=356), aged 20 to 29 years (50.3%) (n=271). In general, the majority of respondents had correctly identified that the elderly are at high risk for stroke (92.8%) (n=500) and that stroke can cause death (81.6%) (n=440). More than half of the population under study (59.9%) (n=323) correctly indicated that stroke is preventable. However, only (11.3%) (n=61) of them stated that the ideal timeframe to initiate thrombolysis in acute cases is 4.5 hours. Regarding the risk factors of stroke, the most frequently identified factors included hypertension (84.4%) (n=455) and heart disease (64.6%) (n=347). When the participants were asked about the warning signs and symptoms of stroke, the most commonly identified response was confusion (70.3%) (n=379). A good knowledge level was prevalent among 311 participants (57.7%, 95% CI, 53.4 to 61.9). Good knowledge levels were significantly higher among participants aged 20 to 29 years (63.5%) (n=172) and 60 years or more (65.2%) (n=15) compared to other categories. A significantly higher proportion of non-Saudis had higher knowledge levels ((75.9%) (n=22) versus (56.7%) (n=289), p = 0.042). Results of the multivariate analysis showed that participants aged 40 to 49 years (OR = 0.54, 95% CI, 0.33-0.89; p = 0.016) and 50 to 59 years (OR = 0.37, 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.63, p < 0.001) were less likely to have good knowledge levels. Conclusion The findings of this study indicate that (57%) (n=307) of participants had adequate knowledge of acute stroke. However, public education programs are still required to further expand this knowledge.

Keywords: acute stroke; awareness; awareness of acute stroke; cross sectional studies; stroke awareness; stroke knowledge; stroke prevention; stroke risk factors; stroke symptoms.

Figure 1. Participants’ responses to the risk factors of stroke.

Figure 2. Participants’ responses to the warning signs and symptoms of stroke.

Figure 3. The proportions of sources of information regarding stroke.