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Increasing stroke awareness among the Hispanic community in America is the goal of a new education program sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health

Transcript:

WADDELL: Increasing stroke awareness among the Hispanic community in America is the goal of a new education program sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health. As part of the NINDS campaign known as Know Stroke. Know the Signs. Act in Time, the program will work towards raising awareness about the symptoms of stroke, according to Dr. Jose G. Merino, staff clinician in the Section of Stroke Diagnostics and Therapeutics at NINDS.

MERINO: We are interested in getting the message about brain attack, or stroke, and knowledge of the symptoms and the importance of rapid response, to the Latin community. So, in order to do this, the NINDS put together a toolbox, which contains several educational materials that can be used by health educators out in the community. These materials are in Spanish, they include a tape; some visual prompts that will help get the conversation going about stroke warning signs and the importance of calling 911 and getting to the hospital as soon as possible.

WADDELL: The toolkit mentioned by Dr. Merino will contain video testimonials from survivors of stroke, as well as brochures with helpful information. Dr. Merino said the campaign is fortunate to be supported not only by members of the NINDS, but by supporters of Hispanic health education as well.

MERINO: We're partnering with very well known Hispanic organizations, like the National Council of La Raza and the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, to use their resources and their networks to help us get the message out, so that these organizations which already are working on health issues, and have a vast network of clinics and health educators, can then help us disseminate our message.

WADDELL: According to Dr. Merino, the Latino community is ideal for this campaign because, overall, Hispanics have a higher rate of risk factors that act as contributors, and increase the likelihood, of stroke. These risk factors include smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure and excessive weight. Although this campaign focuses mainly on the Latino community, according to Dr. Merino, the slow response to stroke symptoms is a nation-wide concern. For more information about the new community education program, and other stroke information, call NINDS at 1-800-352-9424, or visit the Web site at www.ninds.nih.gov/stroke. From the National Institutes of Health, I'm Lauren Waddell in Bethesda, MD.