Knowledge about ischaemic stroke in a school community in Bogota, Colombia

Introduction: The benefit of preventive measures and of acute treatment for ischaemic stroke relies on knowledge of the disease among the general population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of ischaemic stroke in a school community in Bogota (Colombia). Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional cohort study using an online survey that was sent to the members of the school community. The survey gathered sociodemographic data and enquired about respondents’ knowledge of ischaemic stroke. Results: We received 146 completed surveys. Of all respondents, 72% were pupils’ parents, 20.3% teachers, and 7.5% administrative staff. All respondents resided in urban areas, and 82.2% had a high socioeconomic level. The most frequently mentioned risk factors for ischaemic stroke were stress (28.9%), sedentary lifestyles (23.9%), diet (23.3%), arterial hypertension (20.5%), and smoking (14.4%). A total of 8.9% of respondents did not name any risk factor. The most frequently mentioned symptoms of stroke were headache (26%), motor impairment (19.9%), language impairment (15%), vertigo (12.3%), and altered level of consciousness (10.3%). Regarding stroke management times, 87.7% of respondents selected up to 6 h after onset as the optimal time window to seek medical assistance; 86.1% said they did not know which hospital to go to in the event of an ischaemic stroke, and only 2.7% of respondents indicated intravenous thrombolysis as a therapeutic option available in Colombia. Conclusion: Knowledge about ischaemic stroke in this population was poor. Public stroke education campaigns are needed in this community.