Stroke knowledge among middle and high school students

OBJECTIVE: To determine the awareness of stroke symptoms and risk factors in middle and high school students at a single institution. METHODS: An 11-question multiple-choice stroke awareness survey was administered to students in grades 7 to 12 at City High Middle School in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. Summary statistics were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 603/608 surveys were analyzed. Only 8% of respondents correctly identified stroke as the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Half (50.1%) recognized that a stroke occurred in the brain. Sixty-seven students (11.1%) correctly identified all 11 stroke risk factors. Only 5.1% correctly selected all four correct stroke symptoms. Two-thirds (64.5%) recognized stroke as an immediate medical emergency. Slightly more than half (55.9%) knew the acronym FAST (face, arms, speech, time). CONCLUSIONS: Most students in our study were unaware of all the risk factors and symptoms related to stroke. Although this study was limited because data were collected from only one school, the findings suggest a need to educate middle and high school students about stroke risk factors, symptoms and acute interventions.