title: [Initial reactions of patients after a stroke: more than half undertake no action].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To gain insight into patient awareness of symptoms associated with a TIA or stroke and the speed at which medical help is sought.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted with patients admitted to our Stroke Care Unit after having experienced a TIA or stroke. A questionnaire was used to collect information on external factors such as the initial reaction of the patient, the presence of a bystander and knowledge about stroke. This questionnaire consisted of 18 closed questions and 2 open questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 105 patients who had experienced a TIA or an ischemic or haemorrhagic stroke. Mean age was 71.6 years. Overall, 54% of these patients had undertaken no action within an hour of their first symptoms. The main reasons for this were a lack of insight into the symptoms associated with stroke or the expectation that the symptoms would disappear (73%). It appeared that 35% of these patients were not able to name one or more symptoms associated with a stroke.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient knowledge of stroke and the awareness of the importance of urgent medical help are insufficient. These are important factors causing delay in rapid treatment with thrombolytics. National research is needed to explore whether our results are comparable to those in other regions of the Netherlands.
authors: Albert Schweitzer ziekenhuis, afd. Neurologie, Dordrecht, the Netherlands. e.zock@asz.nl
authors: Elles
authors: E
authors: Zock
authors: Henk
authors: H
authors: Kerkhoff
authors: Ruud P
authors: RP
authors: Kleyweg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001364:Awareness; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires