• Mateus de Sousa Rodrigues, Leonardo Fernandes E Santana, Alanderson Passos Fernandes Castro, Karyne Krysley Almeida Coelho, Manoel Pereira Guimarães, Orlando Vieira Gomes, Paulo Adriano Schwingel, Renato Bispo de Cerqueira Filho, Marcos Duarte Guimarães, and José Carlos de Moura.
• Undergraduate Medical Student, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina (PE), Brazil.
• Sao Paulo Med J. 2022 Jul 1; 140 (4): 525-530.

BackgroundStroke is one of the main causes of death worldwide. Educational interventions on stroke are potentially effective in reducing the period between the onset of symptoms and the initial emergency medical assistance.ObjectivesTo assess high school students' knowledge of stroke.Design And SettingCross-sectional study conducted in high schools in northeastern Brazil.MethodsA self-structured questionnaire survey regarding stroke awareness was applied among high school students in northeastern Brazil. Data were collected between 2018 and 2019. The chi-square test and other descriptive statistics were used. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression.ResultsA total of 1,788 students were analyzed. Eighty percent (n = 1430) of them did not have the minimum knowledge on how to act in a stroke situation. Only 10% (n = 179) presented the ideal knowledge on how to act. Males presented lower levels of knowledge on risk factors (odds ratio, OR: 0.62%; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.49-0.79) and signs and symptoms of stroke (OR: 0.63%; 95% CI: 0.52-0.77). Students with ≥ 10 years of schooling (OR: 1.64%; 95% CI: 1.30-2.07) demonstrated greater knowledge of signs and symptoms of stroke. Students aged 18 years (OR: 1.70%; 95% CI: 1.14-2.52) demonstrated greater knowledge than other ages regarding the telephone number of the emergency medical services.ConclusionsThere was a knowledge deficit with regard to recognizing stroke and activating the emergency medical services. The findings apply to the sample investigated and suggest that there is a need for stroke educational interventions, starting in high school.

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