A Pharmacist-Led Stroke Education and Screening Program for Community-Dwelling Older Adults

OBJECTIVES: To deliver a pharmacist-led education and screening for community-dwelling residents, assess the effect of this initiative on knowledge of stroke risk factors and warning signs, and evaluate the stroke-knowledge and risk-assessment questionnaire as a tool to identify stroke-related health status and identify need(s) for specific clinical intervention(s) to decrease risk.
DESIGN: The 70-minute-long event comprised: brief introduction/informed consent, baseline assessment of stroke knowledge, completion of study questionnaire, single blood pressure and heart rate readings, presentation, question-and-answer session, postsurvey questionnaire items.
SETTING: Four faith-based institutions in the Midwest.
PARTICIPANTS: Independent community-dwelling adults 18 years of age and older (N = 97), 89.7% 60 years of age and older.
INTERVENTIONS: Thirty-minute presentation followed by question-and-answer session on ischemic stroke. Screening for primary and secondary stroke-prevention status using study questionnaire and vital signs.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Stroke knowledge regarding modifiable stroke-risk factors and acute stroke-warning signs, individual primary/secondary stroke-prevention status.
RESULTS: Postintervention, mean number of modifiable stroke risk factors (2.6 ± 0.8) and warning signs (2.6 ± 0.8) named improved from preintervention (P < 0.001) including for most subgroups (i.e., self-reported hypertension, atrial fibrillation [AF], or high number of personal risk factors). Needs for improved primary/secondary prevention were identified for blood-measure control and antilipidemic therapy. No disparity was observed regarding thrombotic therapy in participants with AF.
CONCLUSION: The program was resource-efficient, involved student pharmacists, improved immediate stroke-related knowledge of participants including those with increased risk(s) of stroke, and demonstrated value for evaluating stroke-related health status and identifying need for primary and secondary stroke prevention.