title: Help seeking behavior and onset-to-alarm time in patients with acute stroke: sub-study of the preventive antibiotics in stroke study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with acute stroke often do not seek immediate medical help, which is assumed to be driven by lack of knowledge of stroke symptoms. We explored the process of help seeking behavior in patients with acute stroke, evaluating knowledge about stroke symptoms, socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, and onset-to-alarm time (OAT).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a sub-study of the Preventive Antibiotics in Stroke Study (PASS), 161 acute stroke patients were prospectively included in 3 Dutch hospitals. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess knowledge, recognition and interpretation of stroke symptoms. With in-depth interviews, response actions and reasons were explored. OAT was recorded and associations with socio-demographic, clinical parameters were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Knowledge about stroke symptoms does not always result in correct recognition of own stroke symptoms, neither into correct interpretation of the situation and subsequent action. In our study population of 161 patients with acute stroke, median OAT was 30 min (interquartile range [IQR] 10-150 min). Recognition of one-sided weakness and/or sensory loss (p = 0.046) and adequate interpretation of the stroke situation (p = 0.003), stroke at daytime (p = 0.002), severe stroke (p = 0.003), calling the emergency telephone number (p = 0.004), and transport by ambulance (p = 0.040) were associated with shorter OAT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Help seeking behavior after acute stroke is a complex process. A shorter OAT after stroke is associated with correct recognition of one-sided weakness and/or sensory loss, adequate interpretation of the stroke situation by the patient and stroke characteristics and logistics of stroke care, but not by knowledge of stroke symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Albert Schweitzer Hospital Dordrecht, Albert Schweitzerplaats 25, 3318 AT, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. e.zock@asz.nl.|Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. e.zock@asz.nl.
authors.forename: E
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1924-2064
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zock
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Albert Schweitzer Hospital Dordrecht, Albert Schweitzerplaats 25, 3318 AT, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kerkhoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Albert Schweitzer Hospital Dordrecht, Albert Schweitzerplaats 25, 3318 AT, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Kleyweg
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, St. Elisabeth hospital Tilburg, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T B V
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: van Bavel-Ta
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Slotervaart Hospital Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Kruyt
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Nederkoorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van de Beek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D000066505:Help-Seeking Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Attitudes; Health Knowledge; Illness Behavior; Practice; Stroke; Thrombolytic Therapy; Time-to Treatment