Background and objective: The effectiveness of stroke educational campaigns aimed at adults is limited. The study objective was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of an innovative stroke and heart attack educational program for children.
Methods: The 45 minute multimedia web-based videoprogram was designed to teach the correct response to stroke and heart attack symptoms and to test short-term and long-term retention. Population consisted of school children aged 13–15 from 2 remote counties (target and control) in the Czech Republic. Target population obtained education and testing. Control population had only testing. Ethical committee approved the protocol and children's parents signed informed consent.
Results: All children aged 13–15 participated from 37 schools (8% of all basic schools in the county) as target population (n = 2436) during 2014/2015. The control group involved 426 pupils from 6 schools. The baseline knowledge (measured as % of correct response to 12 questions/simulation video-clips) was the same in the target and control population (59% versus 58%). After education, knowledge in the target population improved (67%, paired p = 0.001). After 3 months, knowledge was 61% in the target and 53% in the control populations (intergroup difference p = 0.001). Knowledge about heart attack was higher than for stroke: at baseline in both target (79% versus 57%) and controls (74% versus 58%) as well as at 3 months (77% versus 57%).
Conclusion: School education on stroke is feasible. Knowledge about stroke is worse than for heart attack. The educational program increased knowledge and response to stroke and heart attack symptoms in the short-term and also long-term.
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© 2015 Published by Elsevier Inc.
