‘Time is brain’: Enhancing stroke knowledge and emergency response readiness in seniors

Background: Stroke remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, with a disproportionately high impact on older adults and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. The STROKE-CARE study aimed to develop and assess a targeted stroke awareness workshop for seniors, addressing disparities in stroke knowledge and response readiness. Methods: The study recruited 73 seniors from Bay Area communities who completed pre- and postworkshop surveys on stroke knowledge, prevention attitudes, and response confidence. The workshop included presentations, videos, and a Q&A. Paired t -tests evaluated knowledge and confidence changes, with correlations and Kruskal–Wallis tests analysing demographic associations. Results: Postworkshop results indicated significant increases in stroke knowledge (mean increase of 2.17 points, p < 0.0001), attitudes towards prevention (0.35 points, p = 0.0002), and confidence in responding to stroke events (1.51 points, p < 0.001). Improvements were observed across all demographic groups without significant differences based on age, sex, or education level. Conclusions: This community-based, targeted workshop effectively enhanced stroke knowledge, stroke prevention attitudes, and response confidence in seniors and caregivers. The approach may serve as a model for improving stroke preparedness in vulnerable populations, highlighting the potential benefits of culturally sensitive, community-based stroke education initiatives.