title: Intrinsic factors influencing help-seeking behaviour in an acute stroke situation.
abstract: The proportion of stroke patients eligible for intravenous or intra-arterial treatment is still limited because many patients do not seek medical help immediately after stroke onset. The aim of our study was to explore which intrinsic factors and considerations influence help-seeking behaviour of relatively healthy participants, confronted with stroke situations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 non-stroke participants aged 50 years or older. We presented 5 clinical stroke situations as if experienced by the participants themselves. Recognition and interpretation of symptoms were evaluated and various factors influencing help-seeking behaviour were explored in-depth. We used the thematic synthesis method for data analysis. Five themes influencing help-seeking behaviour in a stroke situation were identified: influence of knowledge, views about seriousness, ideas about illness and health, attitudes towards others and beliefs about the emergency medical system. A correct recognition of stroke symptoms or a correct interpretation of the stroke situations did not automatically result in seeking medical help. Interestingly, similar factors could lead to different types of actions between participants. Many intrinsic, as well as social and environmental factors are of influence on help-seeking behaviour in an acute stroke situation. All these factors seem to play a complex role in help-seeking behaviour with considerable inter-individual variations. Accomplishing more patients eligible for acute stroke treatment, future research should focus on better understanding of all factors at various levels grounded in a theory of help-seeking behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Albert Schweitzerplaats 25, 3318 AT, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. e.zock@asz.nl.|Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. e.zock@asz.nl.
authors.forename: Elles
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zock
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Albert Schweitzerplaats 25, 3318 AT, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kerkhoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Albert Schweitzerplaats 25, 3318 AT, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ruud Peter
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Kleyweg
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Diederik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van de Beek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001519:Behavior; D000066505:Help-Seeking Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007437:Intrinsic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007437:Intrinsic Factor
keywords: Acute treatment; Delay; Help-seeking behaviour; Knowledge; Qualitative research; Stroke