Think FAST: Knowledge of Appropriate Action of Stroke Signs and Symptoms Among US Adults, February-March 2025

The Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911 (FAST) mnemonic raises awareness of common stroke signs and symptoms and reinforces the urgency of activating emergency services. We examined the prevalence of knowledge of appropriate action for FAST-related stroke signs and symptoms among US adults aged ≥18 years.

Cross-sectional, national survey data from the National Center for Health Statistics' Rapid Survey System were collected in February-March 2025. Respondents were asked about the best action for: face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty, and suspected stroke. For each outcome by select sociodemographic covariates, we calculated prevalence and adjusted prevalence ratios using survey-weighted quasi-Poisson regression.

Among US adults, knowledge of appropriate action for four stroke signs and symptoms ranged from 70.8% to 83.9%. However, only 56.3% (95% CI, 54.8-57.8) identified the appropriate action for all assessed signs and symptoms. Overall, 44.6% (95% CI, 43.2-46.0) reported having heard of FAST. Compared with adults who had not heard of FAST, those who had were 31% more likely to know the appropriate action for all 4 signs and symptoms (adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.24-1.39]).

Knowledge of appropriate action for stroke signs and symptoms was high. However, only about half of adults identified the appropriate action for all signs and symptoms, suggesting gaps in stroke knowledge. Amplifying messaging, especially among adults at risk of stroke and their families, may improve knowledge of stroke signs and symptoms and the importance of calling 911, enabling early recognition and potentially decreasing morbidity and mortality.