Kids defeating stroke: stroke awareness in children

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DESCRIPTION (provided by the applicant): 1. To increase acute stroke symptom knowledge among Mexican American and non-Hispanic white middle school children and their parents/ guardians. 2. To increase behavioral intent to immediately activate emergency medical services among Mexican American and non-Hispanic white middle school children and their parents/ guardians. HYPOTHESIS: A culturally sensitive school-based intervention derived from Social Cognitive Theory will improve stroke knowledge and motivation to contact emergency medical services to deliver acute stroke treatment. BACKGROUND/SIGNIFICANCE: The Food and Drug Administration approved acute stroke therapy has a three-hour time window for use from symptom onset. Delay in hospital arrival is the overwhelming reason prohibiting acute stroke therapy. Lack of immediate activation of emergency medical services is the single most important factor impeding time-dependent acute stroke therapy. Less than 5% of patients' call 9-1-1 themselves due to stroke related motor and language deficits. Family members are most likely to activate emergency medical systems. Providing knowledge and motivation to youth and their parents/guardians will greatly facilitate delivery of acute stroke therapy. Hispanic Americans are now the United States' largest minority population and Mexican Americans are the largest Hispanic American sub-group. Hispanic Americans have higher stroke incidence rates, and are particularly vulnerable to stroke at younger ages compared with non-Hispanic whites. SECONDARY AIM: To increase behavioral action to immediately activate emergency medical services among Mexican American and non-Hispanic white middle school children and their parents/ guardians. HYPOTHESIS: The intervention will not only improve intention to contact emergency medical services for acute stroke, but this action will be observed during the course of the study. SIGNIFICANCE: Stroke strikes over 700,000 United States' residents annually. Rapid paramedic transport to the emergency department is critical. Behavioral intent must be translated into action for ultimate success of the intervention.