Knowledge of Stroke Risk Factors among Nigerians at High Risk

doi:10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2014.07.053

Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases

Volume 24, Issue 1, January 2015, Pages 125-129

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2014.07.053 Get rights and content

Background

Although the first step toward effective primary prevention of stroke is awareness of its risk factors, there is limited information on knowledge of these risk factors among Nigerians at increased risk. We assessed the knowledge of risk factors for stroke among Nigerians at high risk.

Method

Using an interviewer-administered questionnaire in a cross-sectional design, high-risk patients (defined as those with a diagnosis of hypertension and/or diabetes) attending the specialist medical outpatient clinics of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital were requested to mention all the stroke risk factors they knew. The outcome measure was ability to mention at least 1 well-documented modifiable or potentially modifiable risk factor. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine predictors of the outcome measure.

Results

The mean age of the respondents was 56.4 ± 12.6 years. Only 39.8% were able to mention at least 1 well-documented modifiable or potentially modifiable risk factor; hypertension was the most recognized (34.7%). Other risk factors mentioned by the respondents were: diabetes (7.3%), alcohol intake (4.5%), smoking (3.8%), overweight and obesity (1.9%), and heart disease (.6%). Factors found to be significantly associated with ability to correctly mention at least 1 stroke risk factor were younger age (<55 years), more than 12 years of formal education, family history of stroke, urban residence, and previous health education on stroke.

Conclusions

Despite being at high risk, knowledge of stroke risk factors is poor among our respondents. Intensive health education is needed to improve on this poor knowledge.

Section snippets

Materials and Methods

Using a cross-sectional design, consecutive adult patients who gave informed consent and met the inclusion criteria were studied between August 2008 and March 2009 at the specialist medical outpatient clinics of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, a tertiary health facility in north central Nigeria. Based on the records made available by the Department of Health Information Management of the hospital, the specialist medical outpatient clinics attend to an average of 2000 patients with

Characteristics of the Respondents

Out of the 354 questionnaires administered, 314 were returned with complete information giving a response rate of 88.5%. The mean age of the respondents was 56.4 ± 12.6 years with 47.1% males. About 43.9% of male respondents had more than 12 years of formal education compared with 25.9% of females (P = .001). Hypertension was more common in male respondents (57.4% vs. 45.2%, P = .030) whereas a combination of hypertension and diabetes mellitus was more common in female respondents (33.1% vs.

Discussion

The economic and social burdens of stroke are enormous, especially in developing countries of the world where resources are meager and skilled manpower is inadequate. To reduce this high burden, there is a need for good primary prevention; successful primary prevention is however hinged on a good knowledge of the risk factors for stroke. Hypertension and diabetes mellitus are well-documented modifiable stroke risk factors,⁹ and the recently published results of INTERSTROKE (International

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Original ArticleKnowledge of Stroke Risk Factors among Nigerians at High Risk

Background

Method

Results

Conclusions

Section snippets

Materials and Methods

Characteristics of the Respondents

Discussion

J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis

Lancet

The global burden of stroke and need for a continuum of care

Neurology

Epidemiology and the global burden of stroke

World Neurosurg

The burden of stroke in Nigeria

Inter J Stroke

Knowledge of risk factors and warning signs of stroke

Vasc Health Risk Manag

Original Article
Knowledge of Stroke Risk Factors among Nigerians at High Risk