title: Symptom recognition of heart attack and stroke in nine European countries: a representative survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death and a source of chronic disability.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess recognition of and reaction to symptoms of heart attack and stroke, and how recognition is related to the frequency of consulting physicians and other information sources.
  
  
  METHODS
  Face-to-face computer-assisted personal interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  Representative sample of 10,228 persons in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Spain and UK, aged 14-98.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recognition of heart attack and stroke symptoms and proper reaction to symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chest pain was the only heart attack symptom recognized by more than 50% of participants. Eight percent knew no symptoms. Of 14 stroke symptoms, none was recognized by more than 50% of participants; 19% could not identify any symptom. For both heart attack and stroke, Germans and Austrians recognized the largest number of symptoms. Persons in Italy, Poland, Russia and Spain knew only about half as many symptoms as in Germany or Austria. Only 51% of Europeans would call an ambulance when someone suffers a stroke, the fewest (33 and 34%) in Germany and Austria. In most countries, people who consulted their physician more frequently had no better recognition of heart attack or stroke symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of persons in nine European countries recognize few heart attack and stroke symptoms; many do not know how to react. This low level of knowledge constitutes a major health risk and likely leads to delay in treatment, contributing to the high mortality and morbidity from these diseases.
authors.affiliation: Research Scientist, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Center for Adaptive Behavior and Cognition, BerlinHead of Surveys, Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung e.V, NurembergDirector, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Harding Center for Risk Literacy, Berlin, GermanyDirector, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Center for Adaptive Behavior and Cognition, Berlin.
authors.forename: Jutta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mata
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gigerenzer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult