The impact of a stroke screening program

Stroke is a leading cause of serious disability and is the third leading ca use of death in the United States. Prevention and early intervention are ke y to reducing death and disability from stroke. This study investigated the impact of a community-based stroke-screening program on the knowledge of p articipants regarding signs and symptoms of stroke, related emergency actio n. and personal risk factors for stroke. Self-reported behavioral changes w ere also recorded, Initial data were collected at the screening site as par t of the program, and follow-up data were collected by telephone interview at 1, 3, and 6-month intervals after the screening. Of the 107 people who p articipated in the screening, 85 (79%) participated in all three follow-up interviews. Findings indicate that participants in this community-based str oke-screening program showed increases in their knowledge about stroke, inc luding what a stroke is. signs and symptoms, related emergency action, pers onal risk factors, and ways to reduce risk. Furthermore, the findings demon strate that the knowledge was retained throughout the study period. Approxi mately half of the participants also reported having made at least one beha vioral change to reduce their stroke risk.