title: Stroke education using an animated cartoon and a manga for junior high school students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated whether junior high school students could be educated regarding stroke with an animated cartoon and a Manga that we produced for the purpose of dissemination of this knowledge.
  
  
  METHODS
  We produced a 10-minute animated cartoon and a Manga that provided information regarding stroke risk factors, stroke signs and symptoms, and awareness to immediately contact emergent medical service (EMS) on identification of stroke signs and symptoms. From December 2011 to March 2012, 493 students in 15 classes of the first grade (age 12-13 years) of 3 junior high schools were enrolled in the study. Each subject watched the animated cartoon and read the Manga; this was referred to as "training." Lessons about stroke were not given. Questionnaires on stroke knowledge were evaluated at baseline, immediately after the training, and 3 months after the training.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of correct answers given immediately after the training was higher for all questions, except those related to arrhythmia, compared with baseline. Percentage of correct answers given at 3 months was higher than that at baseline in questions related to facial palsy (75% versus 33%), speech disturbance (91% versus 60%), hemiplegia (79% versus 52%), numbness of 1 side (58% versus 51%), calling for EMS (90% versus 85%), alcohol intake (96% versus 72%), and smoking (69% versus 54%). At 3 months after the training, 56% of students answered the FAST (facial droop, arm weakness, speech disturbance, time to call for EMS) mnemonic correctly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stroke education using these teaching aids of the animated cartoon and the Manga improved stroke knowledge in junior high school students.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shigehatake
authors.affiliation: Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan. Electronic address: cyokota@ncvc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Chiaki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yokota
authors.affiliation: Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Amano
authors.affiliation: Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tomii
authors.affiliation: Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuteru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hagihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.affiliation: Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minematsu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001364:Awareness; D002359:Cartoons as Topic; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools; D020521:Stroke; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: FAST; Manga; School-based training; stroke education