| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2006 | Volume
: 54
| Issue : 2 | Page : 152--156 |
Knowledge of stroke among stroke patients and their relatives in Northwest India
Jeyaraj Durai Pandian1, Guneet Kalra1, Ashish Jaison1, Sukhbinder Singh Deepak1, Shivali Shamsher1, Yashpal Singh1, George Abraham2
1 Department of Neurology, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab - 141 008, India
2 Saint Vincent Hospital at Worcester Medical Centre, Worcester, MA 01608-1320, USA
Correspondence Address:
Jeyaraj Durai Pandian
Department of Neurology, Level 7, Ned Hanlon building, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston Road, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 4029
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
PMID: 16804258 
Background: The knowledge of warning symptoms and risk factors for stroke has not been studied among patients with stroke in developing countries. Aims: We aimed to assess the knowledge of stroke among patients with stroke and their relatives. Settings and Design: Prospective tertiary referral hospital-based study in Northwest India. Materials and Methods: Trained nurses and medical interns interviewed patients with stroke and transient ischemic attack and their relatives about their knowledge of stroke symptoms and risk factors. Statistical Analysis: Univariable and mulivariable logistic regression were used. Results: Of the 147 subjects interviewed, 102 (69%) were patients and 45 (31%) were relatives. There were 99 (67%) men and 48 (33%) women and the mean age was 59.7±14.1 years. Sixty-two percent of repondents recognized paralysis of one side as a warning symptom and 54% recognized hypertension as a risk factor for stroke. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, higher education was associated with the knowledge of correct organ involvement in stroke (OR 2.6, CI 1.1- 6.1, P =0.02), whereas younger age (OR 2.7, CI 1.1-7.0, P =0.04) and higher education (OR 4.1, CI 1.5-10.9, P =0.005) correlated with a better knowledge regarding warning symptoms of stroke. Conclusions: In this study cohort, in general, there is lack of awareness of major warning symptoms, risk factors, organ involvement and self-recognition of stroke. However younger age and education status were associated with better knowledge. There is an urgent need for awareness programs about stroke in this study cohort.
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