
Awareness of Stroke among the General Population of Arar City, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study
LC05-LC09
Correspondence
Dr. Mohamed M Abd El Mawgod,
Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Northern Border University, 91431, Arar, Saudi Arabia.
E-mail: mossa20072006@yahoo.com
Introduction: Stroke is a critical global health problem. In Saudi Arabia, it is a major cause of morbidity and mortality that is becoming increasingly serious. Considering lifestyle changes that contribute to an increased risk of stroke in Saudi Arabia, a greater community understanding of stroke symptoms and risk factors may influence how promptly patients are treated.
Aim: To assess the awareness of stroke symptoms, risk factors and complications among the study subjects.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, including 500 adults from Arar City, the capital of Northern Saudi Arabia, from November 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024. The study was approved by the local bioethical committee of Northern Border University. Socio-demographic data, along with information on symptoms and risk factors, were collected. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 26.0 was used for data analysis. The data was presented as frequencies and percentages.
Results: A total of 500 respondents were included in the study; their mean age was 40.1±11.7 years, with about 299 (59.8%) being males. More than two-thirds were married (359, 71.8%), and the majority were university educated (445, 89%). Most respondents correctly identified that stroke can be haemorrhagic or embolic. Hypertension was the most frequently cited risk factor (456, 91.2%). Speech difficulty was the most reported symptom (359, 71.8%), followed by walking difficulty (358, 71.6%), disturbed vision (301, 60.2%), and sudden severe headache (288, 57.6%).
Conclusion: The Northern Saudi population demonstrated a relatively good level of literacy regarding stroke risk factors, symptoms and outcomes. Awareness programs are suggested to improve the control of modifiable risk factors for stroke, such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity and smoking.