As strokes are on the rise in young adults in the U.S., research conducted by Co-director of the Center for Outcomes Research Dr. Khurram Nasir, MD, MPH and Associate Director Dr. Farhaan Vahidy, PhD, MBBS, MPH, FAHA shows that a significant proportion of people under age 45 are not aware of stroke symptoms or appropriate actions to take when confronted with stroke.

Analysis within the under-45 age group shows sociodemographic subgroups including Hispanic and non-Hispanic black, non-U.S. born, having lower education levels and uninsured are associated with a lack of awareness of stroke symptoms. Public health initiatives targeting these groups may help improve outcomes for stroke given that fast response to symptoms is crucial to recovery after stroke.

The study, published in Stroke, was based on data from 24,768 people who participated in the 2017 National Health Interview Survey, 39.7 percent of whom (9,844) were under 45 years of age. They were assessed on knowledge of five common stroke symptoms and appropriate response, such as calling EMS.

For more information about the methodology, results and a discussion of the study, click here to access the full research.