Stroke knowledge in Spanish-speaking populations

Abstract

Background: Spanish is the second most-spoken language in the world. Spanish-speaking populations (SSP) have heterogeneous cultural backgrounds, racial and ethnical origins, economic status, and access to health care systems. There are no published reviews about stroke knowledge in SSP. We reviewed the existing literature addressing stroke knowledge among SSP and propose here some future directions for research. Summary: We identified 18 suitable studies by searching PubMed, Lilacs, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane and Scielo databases, and by looking at reference lists of eligible articles. We also included 2 conference abstracts. Data related to stroke knowledge from studies of Spanish-speakers were analyzed. Key Messages: Little is known about stroke knowledge in SSP, especially in Latin America. Information is lacking even among subjects at risk, stroke patients, stroke survivors, and health care providers. 'Ictus', the word used for stroke in Spanish, is largely unrecognized among subjects at risk. Furthermore, access to medical care and the availability of neurologists are suboptimal in many regions. There are several potential issues to solve regarding stroke knowledge and stroke care in SSP. Programs to educate the general population and non-neurologists medical providers in stroke and telemedicine may be better ways of improving the present situation.