Knowledge and attitude toward stroke among the population of one rural community in southern Thailand

Background: Prior knowledge of stroke is associated with decreased prehospital delay in acute stroke events. Knowledge and attitude toward stroke vary in each country. This study was conducted to evaluate attitude and knowledge of stroke in a rural community in southern Thailand. Methods: A survey was conducted among people living in Koh Mak Distinct, Phatthalung Province, Thailand. Univariable analysis was tested by Chi-square, Fisher's exact, Rank sum or Kruskal-Wallis test. Linear and logistic regression were used to determine factors associated with the knowledge score and level of attitude toward stroke. Results: Among 247 participants, most were Muslim and the median age was 54.0 years. The median (Q1, Q3) score of stroke risk factors was 5 (2, 7) (full score: 9). Participants who knew about stroke, had an acquaintance diagnosed with stroke, and had a high level of attitude had significantly higher scores. Two-thirds of the participants had a low-to-moderate level of attitude. Furthermore, most high-risk participants (99/113) had a low to no chance awareness of their risk to stroke. The median (Q1, Q3) score of stroke warning symptoms was 6 (3, 7) (full score: 10). The participants who had received education via the Face Arm Speech Time (FAST) campaign demonstrated a significantly higher proportion of correct answers to the symptoms mentioned in the FAST acronym. Conclusion: Most participants in this community had insufficient knowledge, low-to-moderate level of attitude, and underestimated their risk to stroke even in the high cardiovascular risk participants. The FAST acronym may help people memorize the typical warning symptoms of stroke.