Exploring stroke awareness in an ethnic minority population: the impact of language and social support - Abstract

Sep 30, 2026

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Globally, stroke remains a major health burden, and migrants experience higher risk and lower likelihood of timely hospital admission. Stroke awareness is a key determinant for prompt treatment, yet awareness levels are often low and may be lower among ethnic minorities. This qualitative study examines how societal, personal, and situational factors shape stroke awareness, focusing on language barriers and social support within ethnic minority communities.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Aims

Methods

Analysis

Conclusion

vi88 European Journal of Public Health, Vol. 35, Supplement 6, 2025 Abstract citation ID: ckaf180.242 74 Exploring stroke awareness in an ethnic minority population: the impact of language and social support Olivia Mandal Møller1, Ulla Christensen1, Søren Paaske Johnsen2, Rikke Lund1, Marie Norredam1 1University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark 2Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark PTH 2: Determinants of Health Disease and Interventions 2, B307 (FCSH), September 3, 2025, 15:45-16:39 Aims: Globally, stroke is a significant health burden. Migrants face higher risk of stroke and have lower chances of timely hospital admission than the general population, and stroke awareness is a key factor for timely treatment. Overall stroke awareness is low in the general population and may be even lower among individuals with migrant background. Although stroke awareness campaigns in Denmark and elsewhere have been implemented, such initiatives primarily target the majority population. In Denmark, there is limited understanding of stroke awareness levels among ethnic minority populations. This study aimed to explore the impact of societal, personal and situational factors on stroke awareness within this groups. Methods: This qualitative study involved six focus group discussionsand two semi-structured interviews with individuals from three social housing areas that house a large proportion of ethnic minority groups (N ¼ 37) . The majority of participants were of Turkish, Pakistani and Indian origin. Data were analyzed using Reflexive 2nd World Congress on Migration, Ethnicity, Race & Health Abstract Book vi89 Thematic Analysis guided by the concept of Health Literacy to identify themes related to stroke awareness. Analysis: The analysis generated five key themes: ‘Proximal and distal factors influencing stroke awareness’, ‘Language barrier: Who calls for help?’, ‘Language barrier: Accessing information’, ‘Challenges in symptom recognition and decision-making’ and ‘Health and prevention awareness’. Overall, the themes revealed generally low levels of stroke awareness among participants. Sociocultural background, language barriers, and levels of social support significantly influenced the ability to access and apply relevant health information and to contact emergency medical services. While general awareness of health and risk factors was high, recognizing stroke symptoms and acting on them were a challenge due to lack of knowledge and confidence to act. Conclusion: Our study highlights the need for more socioculturally and linguistically accessible stroke awareness campaigns, to improve early recognition of stroke symptoms and ensure timely intervention.

FAQs

What was the study aiming to understand about stroke awareness?

The study aimed to explore how societal, personal, and situational factors affect stroke awareness among an ethnic minority population.

How was the research conducted?

It used six focus group discussions and two semi-structured interviews with individuals from three social housing areas, analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis guided by health literacy.

What key factors were found to influence stroke awareness?

Five themes highlighted proximal and distal influences, language barriers (including who calls for help and how information is accessed), challenges in symptom recognition and decision-making, and health and prevention awareness.

What does the study conclude for stroke awareness campaigns?

It concludes that campaigns need to be more socioculturally and linguistically accessible to improve early symptom recognition and ensure timely intervention.

Sep 30, 2026

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