Abstract
The proportion of stroke patients eligible for intravenous or intra-arterial treatment is still limited because many patients do not seek medical help immediately after stroke onset. The aim of our study was to explore which intrinsic factors and considerations influence help-seeking behaviour of relatively healthy participants, confronted with stroke situations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 non-stroke participants aged 50 years or older. We presented 5 clinical stroke situations as if experienced by the participants themselves. Recognition and interpretation of symptoms were evaluated and various factors influencing help-seeking behaviour were explored in-depth. We used the thematic synthesis method for data analysis. Five themes influencing help-seeking behaviour in a stroke situation were identified: influence of knowledge, views about seriousness, ideas about illness and health, attitudes towards others and beliefs about the emergency medical system. A correct recognition of stroke symptoms or a correct interpretation of the stroke situations did not automatically result in seeking medical help. Interestingly, similar factors could lead to different types of actions between participants. Many intrinsic, as well as social and environmental factors are of influence on help-seeking behaviour in an acute stroke situation. All these factors seem to play a complex role in help-seeking behaviour with considerable inter-individual variations. Accomplishing more patients eligible for acute stroke treatment, future research should focus on better understanding of all factors at various levels grounded in a theory of help-seeking behaviour.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13760-015-0555-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Intravenous or intra-arterial treatment is effective for patients with acute ischemic stroke with a time window after stroke onset not exceeding 4.5 or 6 h, respectively. [1,2,3,4,5]
The proportion of stroke patients eligible for intravenous or intra-arterial treatment is still limited because many patients do not seek medical help immediately after stroke onset
One participant had a history of ischemic stroke and 17 knew someone with a stroke
Summary
Intravenous or intra-arterial treatment (thrombolysis, mechanical treatment or both) is effective for patients with acute ischemic stroke with a time window after stroke onset not exceeding 4.5 or 6 h, respectively. [1,2,3,4,5]. Stroke educational campaigns have been launched to enhance stroke knowledge and awareness, focusing on the importance of early treatment [8, 10,11,12] These campaigns have had temporary or limited effect on the proportion of patients eligible for alteplase [13, 14]. Other studies focused on more intrinsic factors, such as personal beliefs, values, and attitudes [12, 15, 22,23,24,25] These intrinsic factors seem of great importance in the process of help-seeking behaviour after stroke onset. These studies varied in design, results, theoretical grounding and, patients with recent stroke were
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