Stroke warning signs and awareness of risk factors in high-school teachers

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was intended to examine the warning symptoms and awareness of risk factors in teachers who are over 40 years of age and who work at high schools in the city centre in Aydın. The study group consisted of teachers (1256) who work at schools in Aydın city centre and instead of utilizing sample method for over-40-year old teachers, census method was implemented. The survey included teachers who were over 40 years-old, eager to participate 567 (%81) and never experienced any strokes before. The data, after the acceptance and permission of the ethical board was taken, was collected from schools within working hours between 19 February and 19 march, 2014 in questionnaire forms designed with the approval of an expert specializing in literature. Data collection forms were filled by the participants and statistical evaluation was done in spss software. %55,7 of the participants were male, %89,8 married, %88,9 university graduates and mean age was 47,37±5,66. It was discovered that %30,3 of the participants did not know the organs affected by stroke and %70 of them were unaware of the reason of stroke. When all the answers given by the participants about the best known warning signs of stroke were listed ranging from the best to the least, it was found out that weakness and numbness in arms and legs was (%22) and speech and understanding impairment as (%12,3) while %46,3 gave answers unrelated to the warning stroke symptoms identified by AHA/ASA. When their answers about stroke risk factors were enlisted from the best to the least, it was discovered that stress was (%15,5), hypertension (%12,3) and alcohol and smoking (%9) on the other hand, %24,5 gave answers unrelated to the definition of stroke risk factors defined by AHA/ASA. Considering their statements, ıt was understood that (%22,0) of them had high cholesterol (%17,6) had family records of stroke, (%10,9) had high tension, and (%6,5) had diabetic factors. İt was learnt that about two –thirds of the participants (%60,3) knew that stroke is preventable and three fourth (%75) of them knew it as curable condition, and nearly all of them (%98,9) also knew the fact that ıt was necessary to go to hospital within three and half hours when the symptoms of stroke started. The participants answered that when they felt the symptoms of stroke, one third of them (%32,2) would call an ambulance, (%28,6) would go to the urgent service , and about (%15,5) of them would pour cold water on their heads. A remarkable difference was found among the participants in accordance with their demographic features and their knowledge of stroke risk factors, warning signs, time to go to hospital. The result; despite their educator roles and being in the risk factor age for stroke the teachers participated in the study were not as aware of the stroke warning signs and risk factor as they were expected. Key words: stroke awareness, high-school teachers, stroke risk factors, stroke warning signs