Knowledge, attitude and practice of new stroke patients and their caregivers towards stroke: a hospital based interview
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Date
2017-11
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Nearly three out of four deaths due to stroke in the world occur in low income and
middle income countries – the majority are sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. A rapidly
rising stroke incidence in SSA created a large burden on the resource limited public health care.
Stroke is one of the leading causes of adult onset disability in this region. Despite these impacts,
very low level of awareness about stroke by the public is reported from a few studies done in
SSA. In Ethiopia, there is no single study done that assesses knowledge, attitude and practice
(KAP) of individuals towards stroke. Studying KAP of the victims towards stroke is essential
step to improve public awareness and health care delivery system through community health
education.
Objective: This study was conducted to assess the baseline KAP of new stroke patients and their
attending caregivers towards stroke.
Methods & analyses: A facility – based, quantitative, cross – sectional, descriptive study was
conducted. All new stroke patients and their attending caregivers were sampled from three
teaching hospitals over a period of seven months. Standardized pretested mixed open ended and
closed ended questionnaire was used to collect data from eligible 39 patients with new stroke and
214 caregivers of 77 new stroke patients. The questionnaire was administered face to face with in
the first few hours or days after each new stroke patient’s admission to medical emergency unit
or general medical ward of respective hospitals. A written informed consent was obtained from
each study participants before the interview. The response rate among the selected participants
was more than nighty percent (90.5%). Every study participant was given a short health
education about stroke at the end of the interview. Protocol approvals were obtained from the
Ethical Review Committee of the Department of Neurology. Data was entered and analysed
using SPSS/PC version 20.0 software packages.
Results & conclusions: Among 253 respondents 36% identified brain as the primary organ affected
by stroke. Only about 11% knew three or more stroke warning signs/symptoms. The most
frequently identified stroke symptom was sudden onset unilateral extremity weakness ( ).
Approximately one in five (21%) participants was able to mention three or more risk factors of
stroke but 40% respondent were unable to mention a single biologically plausible risk factor.
16% of respondents believe that stroke is associated with spiritual possession. Those who prefer
to call ambulance or a health professional for immediate help were 111(~44%). A large
proportion (41%) of individuals mentioned one or more culturally plausible but potentially
dangerous practices that they would provide for unconscious stroke victims. Frequently
mentioned wrong practices include giving sips of water or soft drinks, putting some food in the
victims mouth, and sprinkling holly water on the patients face as first aid measures. Higher level
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Keywords
stroke,caregivers towards stroke