Home⇛Science Asia Review⇛vol. 14 no. 1 (2026)

Community-Based Stroke Protocol In Enhancing Rapid Response To Stroke Among Family Members Of Hypertensives In Barangay Lamisahan Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Del Sur: A Pre- And Post-Interventional Study

Tharhata I. Juhasan

Discipline: healthcare science (non-specific)

 

Abstract:

Cerebrovascular disease remains a global health issue despite advances in treatment care and the advent of thrombolytic therapy. Delays in symptom recognition and hospital transport continues to contribute to poor patient outcome. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a community-based stroke protocol utilizing B.E.F.A.S.T to improve stroke knowledge, prehospital response skills and reduce time intervals from stroke onset to hospital transport among family members of hypertensive residents in Barangay Lamisahan, Zamboanga City. A quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest interventional design was used to determine improvements in stroke knowledge, skills on prehospital stroke response and time intervals from symptom onset to transport. A total of 95 respondents participated in the study. A validated questionnaire assessed stroke knowledge before the intervention, immediately after, and 2 months later while stroke simulations were conducted to assess prehospital response skills. Time intervals of stroke response were described using different time points – time from stroke onset to call for help, time from stroke onset to B.E.F.A.S.T identification, time spent on scene and time hospital was notified. Results showed significant increase in knowledge from a mean score of 23.07 in pretest to 31.39 (p <0.001) in the first post test and 30.02 (p <0.001) in the second post-test. Significant improvements in symptom recognition, initial assessment, securing transport, and hospital notification were noted although complexity of skills on balance and eye assessment remains a challenge in a prehospital setting. Lack of accessibility to transportation and communication were identified as challenges in ensuring rapid response. Overall, mean durations to secure transport and notify the hospital were generally less than 30 minutes post-intervention showing the potential of the intervention in enhancing rapid stroke response.



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