If time is brain, why do people wait before seeking help?

The English National Stroke Strategy clearly emphasises that stroke must be treated as a medical emergency as rapid access to appropriate treatment for people with acute stroke is vital for improving patient outcomes.

This study set out to explore what factors influence people's decisions to seek medical assistance following the onset of stroke symptoms.

In total, 19 people who had experienced a stroke and 26 ‘witnesses’ (friends/family/ bystanders who were either there at the time of the stroke or who found the patient with stroke) who made the initial contact with the medical services participated in semi-structured interviews within 14 days of the stroke event.

The interview topic guide included areas such the context of the stroke, the symptoms experienced/ witnessed, people's responses to the event, participants’ level of knowledge of stroke and treatment of stroke, views as to the role and function of the medical services in these situations, and perceptions about the Department of Health's public education campaign ‘Stroke— Act FAST’ which started in 2009.