Public understanding of the causes of high stroke risk in northeast Bulgaria.
BACKGROUND
Knowledge of stroke risk factors is undocumented in Bulgaria.


METHODS
188 subjects in 2000 and 447 in 2003 were asked: 'Why do you think stroke is so common in this region?'


RESULTS
Stress and poverty accounted for 69% of the first mentions in 2000 and 59% in 2003. There were no mentions of high blood pressure and no first mentions of smoking in 2000. High blood pressure appears only 10 times and smoking 12 times among 745 answers in 2003.


CONCLUSIONS
Health education on the established causes of stroke is an urgent priority in Bulgaria.
Dokova
Klara G
KG
Varna Diet and Stroke Study, Department of Social Medicine, Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria.
Stoeva
Krassimira J
KJ
Kirov
Philip I
PI
Feschieva
Nevjana G
NG
Petrova
Stefka P
SP
Powles
John W
JW
D000368:Aged; D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D032882:Comprehension; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires