Knowledge, practice, and awareness of stroke warning signs and potential risk factors among future rehabilitation specialists in Saudi Arabia

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Source: Frontiers Medicine

Original: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2026.1758191...

Published: 2026-02-17T00:00:00Z

The study investigated the knowledge of future rehabilitation specialists in Saudi Arabia about the warning signs and risk factors of stroke through an anonymous online questionnaire distributed to 203 students. The results showed a medium level of knowledge with an average score of 9.24 out of 13 points. Participants most often correctly identified hypertension and smoking as the main risk factors and recognized key symptoms such as motor and speech difficulties. But the study revealed significant gaps in knowledge, including the understanding that stroke affects people of all ages. Participants also lacked knowledge about extracranial clot formation, endovascular management, and emotional and personality changes after stroke. The researchers concluded that improving awareness of risk factors and warning signs is essential for early recognition and management of stroke. Rehabilitation plays a vital role in stroke recovery, which highlights the importance of education in this area.