Pharmacist led – stroke public health awareness

Introduction: Stroke is the third highest disease in the United Kingdom to cause death; despite the severity of this healthcare issue, the public are not aware of the main characteristics, treatment and prevention factors involved. Aim: This study was conducted at the University of Wolverhampton in November 2018, with the aim to investigate the level of stroke awareness within the local university population. Method: This research project included 50 participants which after providing informed consent, carried out the questionnaire to test their general knowledge regarding stroke. The sample ranged from various demographical characteristics such as, gender, age, ethnicity and occupation. The questionnaire comprised of sections which tested knowledge regarding UK stroke statistics, risk factors and causes, stroke treatment, prevention and aftercare. Results: From the data collected, the main findings indicated that although there was a satisfactory degree of knowledge about stroke within the study population, there are certain areas which require improvement to ensure all stroke patients and potential sufferers a better chance of recovery. From the demographical analysis, it shows that females and participants in the 18-34years age group scored a higher proportion of correct answers compared to males and the elder generation. Conclusion: Overall, further education would be recommended within the community to ensure all the population is able to access information regarding stroke. Factors such as language barriers and various educational programmes for different age groups should be taken into consideration to ensure that public health awareness about this serious disease is made successful.