title: Knowledge of signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke among Singapore residents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the level of knowledge of signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke in Singapore resident population, in comparison to the global community.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population based, random sample of 7,840 household addresses was selected from a validated national sampling frame. Each participant was asked eight questions on signs and symptoms of heart attack and 10 questions on stroke.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 65.2% with 4,192 respondents. The level of knowledge for preselected, common signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke was 57.8% and 57.1%, respectively. The respondents scored a mean of 5.0 (SD 2.4) out of 8 for heart attack, while they scored a mean of 6.8 (SD 2.9) out of 10 for stroke. Respondents who were ≥ 50 years, with lower educational level, and unemployed/retired had the least knowledge about both conditions. The level of knowledge of signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke in Singapore is comparable to USA and Canada.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found a comparable knowledge of stroke and heart attack signs and symptoms in the community to countries within the same economic, educational, and healthcare strata. However older persons, those with lower educational level and those who are unemployed/retired, require more public health education efforts.
authors.affiliation: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 10 Medical Drive, Singapore 117597.
authors.forename: Joy Li Juan
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Quah
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608.
authors.forename: Si Oon
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Cheah
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Singapore Civil Defence Force, 91 Ubi Avenue 4, Singapore 408827.
authors.forename: Yih Yng
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Acute and Emergency Care Centre, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, 90 Yishun Central, Singapore 768828.
authors.forename: E Shaun
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608.
authors.forename: Nausheen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Doctor
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medicine Department, National University Hospital, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore 119074.
authors.forename: Benjamin Sieu-Hon
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.affiliation: Accident & Emergency Department, Changi General Hospital, 2 Simei Street 3, Singapore 529889.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tiah
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308433.
authors.forename: Michael Yih Chong
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chia
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608 ; Office of Clinical Sciences, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore 169857.
authors.forename: Marcus Eng Hock
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*