Effect of the Preparatory School FAST Stroke Educational Program.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of FAST stroke educational program among all preparatory school students in the state of Qatar. METHODS: The pretest-posttest experimental research design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the FAST educational program in Qatar. A 30-minute audiovisual presentation was given to improve knowledge of stroke. We included grade 7 to 9 students during the academic year 2018-2019. The FAST program consisted of a pretest, an educational intervention, and immediate and long-term posttests at 2 months. RESULTS: A sample of 1244 students completed presurvey and immediate postsurvey, with an average age of 13.5 (1.12) years (range, 11-18 years) and 655 (53%) females. Students had significantly ( P < .01) greater knowledge of stroke signs, symptoms, and risk factors at intermediate posttest (5.9 [2.6] and 6.2 [2.4]) and at 2 months posttest (5.6 [2.8] and 5.6 [2.7]) compared with pretest (4.8 [2.6] and 4.9 [2.6], respectively). Students also had a higher self-efficacy to seek assistance, which was sustained from pretest to long-term posttest. CONCLUSION: The FAST program improved stroke knowledge that was retained at 2 months.