Community Education For Stroke Awareness In Shanghai: A Survey Research

Objective To survey the public knowledge of stroke in Shanghai community and toexplore the methods and role of health education in community on stroke-relatedknowledge.Methods The stroke knowledge questionnaire was conducted in this study toinvestigate the awareness of warning signs and risk factors of stroke in390residents whovolunteer to join this study in Hongkou District, Shanghai. Community health educationhas been carried out in the form of lecture and brochure after the first survey.3-5monthslater, the re-survey were conducted on the same residents.Results (1) The first survey showed: The awareness percentage of the ten strokerisk factors ranges from2%to80%respectively, the awareness percentage of the heartdisease, excessive alcohol use, poor eating, lack of exercise, psychosocial stress anddepression as stroke risk factors ranges from2%to5%respectively, the awarenesspercentage of the five stroke warning signs are ranges from51%to63%respectively.(2)After health education, the survey revealed that the proportion of residents who were ableto recognize≥2,≥3,≥4risk factors(both P＜0.0001)and≥3,≥4（P=0.0025,P=0.0227）early symptoms of stroke have significantly improved compared with the first survey，theproportion of residents who were able to recognize diabetes mellitus，dyslipidemia，smoking, poor eating as stroke risk factors have significantly improved compared with thefirst survey（P<0.0001，P=0.0013，P=0.0431, P=0.023）,the proportion of residents whowere able to recognize weakness of body and sudden headache as stroke warningsymptoms have significantly improved compared with the first survey（P=0.0334,P=0.0076）；Conclusions (1) At present, residents in Shanghai lack public knowledge of stroke.(2) Community health education improves the cognitive level of stroke knowledge.(3) The influence of health education on stroke incidence, mortality and morbidity is important butneed a good deal of time.