Changes in stroke awareness among undergraduate students after an educational intervention.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated undergraduates'awareness about stroke, the effects of an educational intervention and the difference of measuring tests between recognition and recall. METHODS We chose a convenient sample from two classes. One of the classes, the recognition group, was tested by a close-ended questionnaire with multiple choices. The other class, the recall group, was tested via an open-ended questionnaire. Participants completed their pretest and first posttest before and right after the education intervention. Twelve weeks after the intervention, participants were tested again to assess the knowledge retention over time. RESULTS Fifty six participants in the recognition group and 53 participants in the recall group completed all three tests. Before the intervention, all respondents in the recognition group could recognize three or more risk factors and at least one warning sign, but in the recall group were only 32% and 72% respectively. After the intervention, the mean scores of first posttest and second posttest were all significant higher than that of pretest in both groups (P less 0.001). Comparisons of mean score of same items in both groups, the mean score of recognition group was significantly higher than that of recall group at each test (all P less 0.001). CONCLUSION The intervention improved participants'knowledge towards stroke, even twelve weeks later. Participants obtained higher scores with a close-ended questionnaire than those with an open-ended questionnaire.