[Knowledge about stroke among the German population].
OBJECTIVE
Modern stroke therapy requires patients to correctly identify stroke symptoms and seek immediate hospital admission. US studies showed that only 57% of the population knew at least one stroke symptom. This is the first study about stroke knowledge among German populations.


METHODS
Using a cross-sectional questionnaire survey, 300 working-age participants of the PROCAM study, the Prospective Cardiovascular Münster Study, and 95 senior citizens of the Augsburg Study, a follow-up project of the MONICA survey 1989/90, were asked about stroke symptoms and what to do if they occur. Good knowledge about stroke was defined as knowing at least two stroke symptoms and calling the emergency medical system or seeking immediate hospital admission in case of symptoms.


RESULTS
Participation rate in the PROCAM study was 90%, while all senior citizens took part. The mean age of the working population was 41.2 years, the mean age of the retired population was 72.8 years. 35% of the working and 24.5% of the retired participants knew at least two stroke symptoms. Urgent hospital admission was selected by 78.2% of the occupational but only 41.5% of the retired participants. Good stroke knowledge was demonstrated by nearly a third of the workers but less than 10% of the elderly. Among the occupational population, being a white-collar worker or knowing someone with a stroke was a significant predictor of good stroke knowledge. Among senior citizens higher age and current smoking status were significant predictors.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study shows significant information deficits about stroke in our population: education needs to be geared especially towards the elderly.
Weltermann
B M
BM
Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster. bwelter@uni-muenster.de
Rogalewski
A
A
Homann
J
J
Berger
K
K
Schulte
H
H
Assmann
G
G
Ringelstein
E B
EB
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012179:Retirement; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires