Improvements in knowledge of heart attack and stroke symptoms and 911 use among low-income Hispanic women

Background: Research indicates a link between symptom recognition and time to hospitalization; however, knowledge of heart attack and stroke symptoms among ethnic minorities is lacking.

Methods: The California WISEWOMAN (WW) program provides cardiovascular disease (CVD) screening, education, and lifestyle counseling to underserved women, as well as education on the signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke, and calling 911. During 2007, the WW program administered survey questions from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) cardiac module to 154 Hispanic women before and after four educational sessions. Findings were compared with the California BRFSS (2008).

Results: Following the educational interventions, the percentage of women correctly identifying all heart attack symptoms (41%) and stroke symptoms (60%) increased by 20% and 19% respectively, and 99% of women responded that they would call 911 first if they thought someone was having a heart attack or stroke (an increase of 21% over baseline). The percentage of women correctly identifying numbness as a stroke symptom (97%) increased by 14%. In addition to improvements over baseline, WISEWOMAN participants had more knowledge about stroke symptoms than did the women surveyed in the 2008 California BRFSS, where only one third of women correctly identified all stroke symptoms and only 90% identified numbness as a stroke symptom.

Conclusion: Targeted messaging is successful in improving knowledge of heart attack and stroke symptoms, and the need to call 911. Increased knowledge will prevent mortality and morbidity from CVD events in high risk, underserved populations. Results were used to refine WISEWOMAN program protocols and guide the selection and use of educational materials.