Reasons for Delays in Hospital Arrival for Stroke Patients in Turkey
Author Information
Author(s): Memis Sakine, Tugrul Emel, Evci E Didem, Ergin Filiz
Primary Institution: Adnan Menderes University
Hypothesis
What factors contribute to delays in hospital arrival for acute stroke patients?
Conclusion
A significant portion of stroke patients in Aydin, Turkey, delay seeking medical help due to a lack of awareness and waiting for symptoms to resolve.
Supporting Evidence
- 31.6% of patients arrived at the hospital more than 3 hours after symptom onset.
- Approximately one third of patients delayed going to the hospital because they were waiting for symptoms to go away.
- Another third of patients were not aware of the importance of seeking immediate medical help.
- 16.3% of patients arrived at the hospital by ambulance.
Takeaway
Many people who have a stroke wait too long to go to the hospital because they think their symptoms will go away or they don't realize it's serious.
Methodology
Descriptive, hospital-based study using questionnaires and hospital records to assess pre-hospital delays in stroke patients.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reported data and incomplete medical records.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size and may not be representative of the entire population.
Participant Demographics
{"mean_age":67.7,"gender_distribution":{"female":53,"male":45},"residence":{"urban":24,"rural":74},"education":{"illiterate":58,"literate":40},"marital_status":{"married":64,"single_widow":34}}
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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