What influences people's decision to call 999 in cases of acute stroke?

Onset of acute stroke is a time critical emergency with rapid access to appropriate stroke care reducing mortality or minimizing the level of residual disability after a stroke.This study explores factors that influence people's decisions about when to make the call to the emergency medical service (EMS), and what their experiences are of this interaction.

Using a qualitative approach, 50 participants were interviewed within 2 weeks of the event. Of these, 68% were female and the group had an age range of 24–83 years (median age, 62 years). Participants were eligible for inclusion if the patient was admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of acute stroke and had been conveyed by ambulance after either a 999 call, or activation of a personal medical alert system.

The participant was the person who made the call. In fact, only one patient made the 999 call; 41 people knew the patient (friend or relative); 6 people were bystanders not known to the patient; and 2 admissions were the result of activating the personal medical alert system.