Bajandouh Wejdan M, Alotaibi Turki N, Alharbi Abdullah R, Alzahrani Saad A, Alghamdi Ghidaa A, Aleissi Ahmad H, Rashed Asem, Shatla Mokhtar
Medicine and Surgery, College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, SAU.
Neurology, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, SAU.
Cureus. 2024 Jul 28;16(7):e65587. doi: 10.7759/cureus.65587. eCollection 2024 Jul.
Stroke, a condition that disrupts brain function and can result in long-lasting clinical symptoms or death, remains a substantial global health concern. General awareness of stroke leads to a proper response to stroke, pursuit of medical treatment, and a better outcome. Our study aims to explore how the general Saudi Arabian population responds to stroke, investigate the relationship between stroke knowledge and appropriate actions, and identify the most relied upon medical information source about stroke among the public. By highlighting these aspects, we aspire to contribute to the development of effective stroke prevention and management strategies in Saudi Arabia.
This descriptive, cross-sectional, web-based study was carried out across multiple regions in Saudi Arabia. Data collection involved a validated online questionnaire (STAT) in Arabic, targeting adults aged 18 and older. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software.
The study included 390 participants. Notable findings emerged regarding the recognition of stroke symptoms and the factors influencing this recognition. A substantial proportion of respondents correctly identified visual disturbances (55.9%), motor impairment (39.5%), cardiac symptoms (56.2%), sensory symptoms (32.8%), chest pain (62.6%), and arm weakness (36.7%) as indicators requiring immediate medical attention. However, there were lower correct response rates for symptoms such as sudden dizziness (22.8%), confusion (16.9%), difficulty understanding (27.9%), and urinary symptoms (26.9%). Older individuals and retirees generally scored higher in correctly identifying these symptoms.
Our study highlights a commendable level of awareness of certain stroke symptoms, such as visual disturbances and chest pain, among the general population of Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless, notable gaps remain in recognizing other symptoms, such as sudden dizziness and confusion. This identification gap presents a clear opportunity for targeted educational initiatives that are essential to improving public recognition of these symptoms. By addressing these gaps, we aim to enhance the response to stroke incidents, potentially improving outcomes and reducing morbidity rates.
中风是一种会扰乱脑功能并可能导致长期临床症状或死亡的疾病，仍然是全球重大的健康问题。对中风的普遍认知有助于对中风做出适当反应、寻求治疗并获得更好的结果。我们的研究旨在探讨沙特阿拉伯普通民众对中风的反应方式，调查中风知识与适当行动之间的关系，并确定公众最依赖的中风医学信息来源。通过突出这些方面，我们希望为沙特阿拉伯制定有效的中风预防和管理策略做出贡献。
这项基于网络的描述性横断面研究在沙特阿拉伯的多个地区开展。数据收集采用了经过验证的阿拉伯文在线问卷（STAT），目标人群为18岁及以上的成年人。使用SPSS软件进行数据分析。
该研究纳入了390名参与者。在中风症状的识别以及影响这种识别的因素方面出现了显著发现。很大一部分受访者正确地将视觉障碍（55.9%）、运动障碍（39.5%）、心脏症状（56.2%）、感觉症状（32.8%）、胸痛（62.6%）和手臂无力（36.7%）识别为需要立即就医的指标。然而，对于突然头晕（22.8%）、意识混乱（16.9%）、理解困难（27.9%）和泌尿系统症状（26.9%）等症状，正确回答率较低。老年人和退休人员在正确识别这些症状方面的得分通常更高。
我们的研究凸显出沙特阿拉伯普通民众对某些中风症状，如视觉障碍和胸痛，有着值得称赞的认知水平。尽管如此，在识别其他症状，如突然头晕和意识混乱方面仍存在明显差距。这种识别差距为有针对性的教育举措提供了明确机会，而这些举措对于提高公众对这些症状的认知至关重要。通过弥补这些差距，我们旨在增强对中风事件的反应能力，有可能改善治疗结果并降低发病率。
