Stroke prevention: knowledge of the general population in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia

Stroke is a medical emergency that may lead to permanent neurological damage, complications, and disability. It is the second leading cause of death worldwide and one of the main causes of adult-acquired disabilities. Stroke can be prevented by controlling modifiable risk factors and the early detection of stroke warning signs. The current study aimed to assess the knowledge of the general population in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia about stroke.

A cross-sectional and community-based design was employed in this study. The sample was calculated as 432. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The data was analyzed by SPSS software, version 23. Descriptive statistics were used. The Chi-square test was employed to test differences between qualitative variables, and a p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results showed that 26.6 % of the population had good knowledge about stroke. Population with average and poor knowledge were 50.5% and 22.9%, respectively. The level of stroke knowledge is related to age; the older population aged 45 and more acquired the highest level of knowledge (50%) compared to the other groups. Age group 35-44 years received the least level of stroke knowledge (19.9%). The school teaching had the highest level (40.0%) of stroke knowledge than the other occupations.

Stroke knowledge among the population of Saudi Arabia is inadequate. The stroke knowledge is related to age and occupation.