Stroke-related knowledge and warning signs and its association with seeking emergency medical service among urban and rural residents in Huanggang, China.

Background: Stroke is the leading cause of disability and death among residents in China, with significant regional disparities. However, it remains unclear whether there are differences in stroke emergency knowledge and awareness between urban and rural populations. Therefore, this study aims to explore the seeking of emergency medical services (EMS) and its influencing factors in urban and rural areas.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional design was applied with 760 residents in Huanggang, China, based on a cluster sampling method. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection, with multiple logistic regression applied to investigate factors influencing seeking EMS.

Results: The majority of participants were male (65.0%), with a median age of 65 years. After adjusting for other covariates, urban residents who had good stroke-related knowledge (_adjustedOR = 1.73; 95%CI:1.04-2.90), recognized stroke warning signs (_adjustedOR = 1.65; 95%CI:1.03-2.64), had a history of vascular risk (_adjustedOR = 2.66; 95%CI:1.13-6.31), and accessed more information sources (_adjustedOR = 1.84; 95%CI:1.07-3.17) had a stronger intention to call EMS. Among rural residents, the stronger intention to call EMS was positively influenced by good stroke-related knowledge (_adjustedOR = 1.74; 95% CI:1.05-2.86) and recognizing stroke warning signs (_adjustedOR = 1.64; 95% CI:1.04-2.61), while low income was a significant barrier.

Conclusion: The intention to call EMS is influenced by stroke-related knowledge, warning signs, and other factors, which differ across urban and rural contexts. Thus, future interventions aimed at improving stroke identification and decision-making using EMS should take these characteristics into account, which might ultimately help to prevent pre-hospital delays.