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

INTRODUCTION: This study was planned in an attempt to examine the stroke warning signs and awareness of risk factors in high-school teachers older than 40. METHODS: The target population of the study consisted of teachers (n=1256) working at high schools in the city center and instead of the sampling method, a census was used for teachers older than 40 (n=700). The sample involved 567 teachers who hadn’t stroke experience and volunteered to participate. The data were collected with “structured question form” was developed based literature and expert opinions by conducting a preliminary application in working hours. RESULTS: Regarding the participants, 55,7% were male, 89,8% married; 88,9% had bachelor's degree and age average 47,37±5,66. It was determined that 30,3% of participants knew nothing about the “organ being affected by stroke”, 70% about “the reason of stroke”. According to the total responses of participants in three choices concerning the knowledge of “stroke warning signs”, it was determined that they mainly had numbness and weakness on arms-legs (22%), as well as trouble in speaking and understanding (12,3%) and 46,3% of them gave responses that were not related with “stroke warning symptoms” defined by AHA/ASA. According to the total responses of participants in three choices concerning the knowledge of “stroke risk factors”, it was determined that they mainly had stress (15,5%), hypertension (12,3%), smoking-alcohol (9%) and 24,5% of them gave responses that weren’t related with “stroke risk factors” defined by AHA/ASA. While no statistically significant difference was determined between the demographic features of participants and stroke warning signs and their state of knowing the stroke risk factors. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Participated in the study had roles as consultants and trainers, as well as the stroke risk factors, and they were in the risky age group for stroke, they didn’t have sufficient awareness regarding stroke warning signs and risk factors