Knowledge, attitude, and practice of stroke and thrombolysis among students preparing for undergraduate medical entrance examination in Kathmandu, Nepal.

BACKGROUND

Stroke is a major disabling disease, especially for low and middle-income countries like Nepal. The aim of our study is to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among the students preparing for undergraduate medical entrance examination regarding risk factors, warning signs and symptoms, and management of stroke.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, single staged study using self-structured questionnaire intended to assess KAP about stroke and thrombolysis was conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 378 students participated in our study (53% male; mean age = 18.12 ± 0.97). Majority of the participants (88.4%) had heard about stroke. The more common risk factors identified by them were hypertension (86.2%), oily food (48%), alcohol (37.8%), and smoking (32.8%). Limb weakness, slurring of speech and facial weakness as symptoms and signs of stroke were indicated by 43.4%, 30.2%, and 18.8% of the participants, respectively. Only 23.8% of the participants had heard about thrombolysis and 10% of all could rightly mention the window period of thrombolysis. Male participants had better knowledge about smoking [86 (43.0) vs 38 (21.3);  < .001] and oily food [108 (54.0) vs 73 (41.0); = .012] being risk factors and facial weakness [50 (37.6) vs 21 (11.8); = .001] being symptom of stroke compared with females. Similarly, male participants had heard more about thrombolysis than females [68 (34.0) vs 22 (12.4);  < .001].

CONCLUSION

Knowledge regarding risk factors and signs and symptoms of stroke was adequate among the students preparing for undergraduate medical entrance examination. However, knowledge about thrombolysis was poor. Male participants had better knowledge about risk factors, warning signs and symptoms of stroke, and thrombolysis compared with female.