Stroke is the most common neurological pathology, also the leading cause of death among neurological diseases. Patient’s knowledge and attitude is an important issue for improving quality of stroke health care
The aim of this study was carried out to describe patients’ knowledge and attitude of stroke. This cross-sectional description study was conducted at Cho Ray Hospital Department of Neurology. Sample size in this study is 100 patients. Data analysis was done by using the Statistical Package for Social sciences SPSS 16.0 for Window.
The mean age of patients was 57.88 ± 14.41 with a range from 18-88, most responders answered aging, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, hyperlipidemia, past history of stroke and obesity as the risk factors years of age. Only about76% hypertension is easy to be the stroke, 75% considered that brain is an injured organ in stroke patient. 20% didn’t know stroke warning sign. Many of responders didn’t know that stroke can be prevented by controlling the risk factors and by using appropriate drugs.
Conclusions: necessities of having the educational programs in public to improve the knowledge of stroke.

Stroke is the most common neurological pathology, also the leading cause of death among neurological diseases. Patient’s knowledge and attitude is an important issue for improving quality of stroke health care
The aim of this study was carried out to describe patients’ knowledge and attitude of stroke. This cross-sectional description study was conducted at Cho Ray Hospital Department of Neurology. Sample size in this study is 100 patients. Data analysis was done by using the Statistical Package for Social sciences SPSS 16.0 for Window.
The mean age of patients was 57.88 ± 14.41 with a range from 18-88, most responders answered aging, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, hyperlipidemia, past history of stroke and obesity as the risk factors years of age. Only about76% hypertension is easy to be the stroke, 75% considered that brain is an injured organ in stroke patient. 20% didn’t know stroke warning sign. Many of responders didn’t know that stroke can be prevented by controlling the risk factors and by using appropriate drugs.
Conclusions: necessities of having the educational programs in public to improve the knowledge of stroke.

Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………2
Acknowledgement ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
List of figures……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7
List of tables………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7
Chapter 1. Introduction ………….…………………………………….…………………………… 8
1.1. Statement of this study.....…………………………………...……. 8
1.2. Significance of this study .....………………….…………….. 10
1.3. Study questions……………………………….……....……..………... 10
1.4. Study objectives…………………………..………….…...…..…........
1.5. Chapter summary ……………………………….……………..…........ 10


Chapter 2. Literature review……………………………...…………………. 11
2.1 Summary of stroke ………...……………………………………..…..
1.1.1 Concept about stroke …….….………………...………………....
1.1.2 Classification of stroke ……...………...………..…………….….
2.2 Risk factors of stroke ……...….……………..….…………...…...
1.2.1 Hypertension ……..…...…...………………...……..…………....
1.2.2 Heart disease …………………………………………………….
1.2.3 Diabetes mellitus ……………………………………..………….
1.2.4 Tobacco smoking ……………………………………..…………
1.2.5 Alcohol ………………………………………………..…………
1.2.6 Dyslipidaemia ………………………………………….………..
1.2.7 Physical inactivity ………………………………………..……...
1.2.8 Obesity ………………………………………………….……….
1.2.9 Age …………………………………………………………..…..
2.3 Factors affect on knowledge and attitude for stroke patients ..……….
1.3.1 Demographic characteristics ……………..……………..……….
1.3.1.1 Age ……………………………..…….……………………...
1.3.1.2 Gender …………………………………….…………………
1.3.1.3 Education and family history of stroke …………….………..
1.3.1.4 Life style ………………………………………….…….........
1.3.2 Knowledge of stroke warning signs and attitude to these warning signs …….......................................................................................
1.3.3 Age, risk factors, gender influence the knowledge of stroke ……
2.4 Chapter summary ……………………………………………………. 11

chapter 3. Research Methodology ………………………..………………... 20
3.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………..
3.2 Study design …….…………………………………………………… 20
20
3.3 Study framework ...…………...…...…………………………..……..
1.3.1 Definition of terms ………………………………………………
1.3.2 The conceptual framework ………………………………………
3.4 Sampling and settings ……………….…………………………...…..
1.4.1 Study settings …….…………….....………….………….………
1.4.2 Sampling ………….……………...…………….………………...
1.4.3 Recruitment ……………………………………………………...
1.4.4 Sample size …………...…...…………………………………….. 20

3.5 Study Instrument ...………….……….………………………………
3.6 Reliability and validity …….…...…………..………………………..
3.7 Data collection ………………...….………………….………………
3.8 Data handling and analysis ……………………………...…………... 22
3.9 Ethical issues.…..………………………………..………...………….
3.10 Chapter summary ……………………………………………………. 29

Chapter 4. Results ………………………………………………..………….. 30
4.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………..
4.2 Personal information of patients ……………..……………….……... 30
30
4.3 Knowledge about stroke ……………..……………………………….
4.4 Attitude of patients …...………………………………………………
4.5 Chapter summary …………………………………………………..... 32
Chapter 5. Discussion ..........................……………..………...……………… 37
5.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………..
5.2 Discussion about demographic characteristics ...……37
5.3 Patients’ knowledge about stroke …………………..…………… 38
1.1.1 Knowledge about risk factors …....………………………………
1.1.2 Knowledge about mechanism of stroke ………..………………..
1.1.3 Knowledge about warning signs of stroke ……..…..……………
1.1.4 Knowledge about management when having stroke ………….....
1.1.5 Knowledge about how to reduce risks of stroke ……..………….
5.4 Patient’s attitude to stroke …………….....……………………….......
5.5 The limitation and strength of this study ……………………………..
5.6 Recommendations …………………..……………………………….. 38

References……………………………...……………………………………... 44

Appendix 1: Questionnaire .………………..…………………………………
Appendix 2: IRB approval …………………………………………………… 51

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