Stroke knowledge among emergency centre visitors: A cross-sectional multicenter survey

Stroke is a public health problem worldwide. Community stroke knowledge is crucial to guide the prevention approach. We aimed to evaluate the level of stroke knowledge among the visitors to Emergency Centres (ECs) in the southern region of Tunisia concerning factors of risk, symptoms, and treatment of stroke.

A multicenter cross-sectional survey about stroke knowledge; conducted in five ECs for 10 days. All the visitors to these ECs were invited to participate in this survey. In each center, one investigator had to conduct the questionnaire. We used the stroke knowledge test (SKT).

We enrolled 839 participants aged at 44 ± 7 years and with an M/F sex-ratio at 0.9. Relatives and mass media were the most reported sources of information about stroke. In 32.3% of cases, the participants had a university schooling level. The upper quartile had an SKT score of 55% or over (n = 247; 29.4%). The SKT score was significantly higher in young, female participants, in rural centers, with a university level of schooling and with no reported chronic diseases. Receiving information about stroke through the medium of television or via relatives was an independent predictor of a high SKT score compared with other knowledge sources.

This study emphasises the urgent need for improving the population's knowledge about stroke in Tunisia. These findings may reflect the lack of government policies for education and training on stroke. A national educating program is necessary to implement to increase stroke knowledge.