Clinical Practice Research Unit, School of health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK.
Emerg Med J. 2012 Jun;29(6):502-5. doi: 10.1136/emj.2010.108563. Epub 2011 Jul 8.
Rapid access to emergency medical services (EMS) is essential at the onset of acute stroke, but significant delays in contacting EMS often occur.
To explore factors that influence the caller's decision to contact EMS at the onset of stroke, and the caller's experiences of the call.
Participants were identified through a purposive sample of admissions to two hospitals via ambulance with suspected stroke. Participants were interviewed using open-ended questions and content analysis was undertaken.
50 participants were recruited (median age 62 years, 68% female). Only one of the callers (2%) was the patient. Two themes were identified that influenced the initial decision to contact EMS at the onset of stroke: perceived seriousness, and receipt of lay or professional advice. Two themes were identified in relation to the communication between the caller and the call handler: symptom description by the caller, and emotional response to onset of stroke symptoms.
Many callers seek lay or professional advice prior to contacting EMS and some believe that the onset of acute stroke symptoms does not warrant an immediate 999 call. More public education is needed to improve awareness of stroke and the need for an urgent response.
在急性中风发作时，快速获得紧急医疗服务（EMS）至关重要，但经常会出现联系 EMS 的重大延迟。
探讨影响中风发作时呼叫者联系 EMS 的决定因素，以及呼叫者在呼叫过程中的体验。
通过对通过救护车送往两家医院的疑似中风患者的有目的抽样，确定参与者。使用开放式问题对参与者进行访谈，并进行内容分析。
共招募了 50 名参与者（中位年龄 62 岁，68%为女性）。只有一名呼叫者（2%）是患者。在中风发作时最初决定联系 EMS 时，有两个因素会产生影响：感知的严重性，以及获得的非专业或专业建议。在呼叫者与呼叫中心工作人员之间的沟通方面，确定了两个主题：呼叫者对症状的描述，以及对中风症状发作的情绪反应。
许多呼叫者在联系 EMS 之前会寻求非专业或专业建议，并且一些人认为急性中风症状发作不需要立即拨打 999。需要进行更多的公众教育，以提高对中风的认识以及对紧急响应的需求。
