Finances may be barrier to calling 9-1-1 for stroke symptoms in minority neighborhoods

Worries about healthcare expenses may limit calls to 9-1-1 for suspected strokes on the southside of Chicago. Ambulance charges may limit willingness to call 9-1-1 when people experience stroke symptoms in south Chicago, according to preliminary research presented at the American Stroke Associationís International Stroke Conference 2018, a world premier meeting dedicated to the science and treatment of cerebrovascular disease for researchers and clinicians.

Stroke outcomes can vary dramatically among neighborhoods in the city of Chicago, Illinois, researchers said. In this study, researchers analyzed responses from a survey of 364 Chicago residents to assess stroke knowledge, self-efficacy and barriers to calling 9-1-1. Responses were separated into those from the north side (199) and those from the south side (165) of the city. The north-side residents were more educated, while the south-side residents were more interested in participating in stroke education programs and had visited hospitals and doctors less frequently in the recent past. The north-side residents reported feeling more overwhelmed by life in the near recent past. Although both north-side and south-side residents did not feel strongly that they could recognize stroke, the south-side residents felt more confident than the north-side residents. Researchers sampled whites, blacks and Hispanics equally on both sides of the city.
While stroke knowledge was similar between neighborhoods, perceptions and attitudes differed by geographic regions in the city.