Introduction
Several goals were set when planning an intervention in the community. The first is to increase the community’s knowledge of risk factors that can cause a stroke and the importance of a healthy lifestyle. The second goal is to improve the community’s skills in assessing their health, such as measuring blood pressure and blood sugar. The third one is to help the community recognize early stroke signs. Finally, ensuring that the population understands what actions to take when a stroke occurs was necessary.
Details of the Intervention
Stroke Awareness Month
We decided to prepare and carry out a stroke awareness month to reach all of the mentioned objectives. Several activities were included in the stroke awareness month. The first consisted of conducting a TED Talk with a PowerPoint presentation to increase the population’s understanding of the issue. Brochures on the most relevant and vital information were disseminated among the community members. And lastly, an open discussion was the final educational activity. Research on stroke prevention and risk factors was conducted to conduct these activities.
Rationale
Before the intervention, research on the community’s stroke awareness was done. The community was found to lack knowledge of the importance of stroke prevention and recognition. The lack of this kind of knowledge increases the percentage of strokes and the risk of an adverse outcome after a stroke; thus, raising awareness on the issue is necessary.
Methods of Evaluation
It was decided that the effectiveness of the stroke awareness month would be evaluated by conducting a quiz after the end of the activities. Evaluating the audience’s feedback was also chosen to assess how successful and beneficial the intervention was for the community. These evaluation methods were chosen due to the transparency and clarity of the results they provide; thus, the effectiveness of the intervention can be evaluated immediately.
Conclusion
The evaluation demonstrated that the activities conducted were effective and that the objectives of raising stroke awareness were reached. The community acquired new knowledge on the importance of stroke prevention and new, valuable skills to control health. The number of people who attended the activities was lower than predicted; however, it was sufficient to make the intervention effective. The expected outcome is that awareness will help decrease stroke occurrence and its negative consequences.