Stroke knowledge and barriers to stroke prevention among African Americans: implications for health communication

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability, especially among African Americans. Yet research on stroke knowledge and barriers to stroke prevention among African Americans is limited. This study used a 50-item questionnaire to conduct structured telephone interviews with 379 African American adults, 50 years or older. The questionnaire included questions on stroke knowledge, stroke risk behaviors, and barriers to stroke prevention. A stroke knowledge score was computed by assigning points for correct responses on knowledge items. The average stroke knowledge score of participants was 10.9, out of a maximum possible score of 27. Stroke knowledge was significantly related to the presence of hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and family history of stroke. College education was significantly associated with older respondents' stroke knowledge. Younger college-educated respondents had more knowledge about the risky behaviors that lead to stroke than those with less education. Respondents preferred hospitals to churches or senior centers for receiving stroke information and for learning about stroke from their physicians. Stress and poor financial status were most frequently reported as barriers to stroke prevention. These findings have implications for developing more effective strategies for educating African Americans about stroke prevention.