BACKGROUND: In America, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death taking more than 130,000 people every year. Early recognition is imperative as survival increases with prompt intervention. Unfortunately, many Americans including children do not know the acute signs and symptoms of stroke, especially those in high-risk communities. Due to the significance surrounding the public health burden of stroke, the purpose of this project is to evaluate a time efficient, mobile device supported stroke education program for fifth graders and their parents who live in a multi-ethnic community. DESIGN: This DNP project implemented a prospective descriptive study. SETTING: The study took place at a local public elementary school in Phoenix, Arizona within a multiethnic community with predominately Hispanic children. DATA COLLECTION: The data was collected in the form of pre and post-tests from the fifth-grade students. Surveys were also given to parents and the teacher. RESULTS: Results from 19 students indicated fifth graders can learn about stroke, recognize the early warning signs, and seek help fast. Data from parental surveys indicated students talked to their parents about what they learned and shared the stroke phone app with them. The study also found a positive teacher perception of incorporating technology-supported stroke lesson into fifth-grade curriculum. CONCLUSION: This study found increasing stroke knowledge among fifth graders using a novel mobile technology supported school-based intervention is possible and, in fact, found students shared the information and stroke application with their parents and families at home. Findings also support the need for continual research on educating today’s youth, targeting high-risk populations, and further fine-tuning this sustainable stroke knowledge program for middle schools across Arizona.

Regardless of the advances that have been made in stroke research and treatment and the overall decrease in stroke mortality, the stroke mortality rate for African Americans is still high at 45.2/100,000 and is still the leading cause of adult disability. Knowledge of the risk factors of stroke is paramount to reducing the morbidity and mortality of stroke, but knowledge of stroke risk factors has been found to be suboptimal in the African American population. The purpose of this study was to examine if there is a relationship between the knowledge, perception, and sources of stroke information of risk factors for stroke. The theoretical framework for this study was knowledge, attitude, and practice model and the health belief model. A cross-sectional quantitative approach was used for this study, and data was obtained through in-person administration of a questionnaire to willing participants in two South District Cook County, Illinois, health centers, two churches, a barber shop, and a beauty shop. A total of 273 respondents that consisted of 42% men (n = 113) and 58% women (n = 160) provided valid responses. Chi-Square test of association showed a statistical significance between source of stroke information and previous stroke/transient ischemic attack at Ï?2 (1) = 29.133, p = 0.001. Multiple regression analysis model showed a statistically significant result of perception and stroke, F (14, 259) = 22.692, p < 0.0005. This study found that stroke education should go beyond traditional medical risk factors to also explore people's perception of preventive practices. This study will contribute to social change by providing support for targeted stroke education not only on knowledge but also perception of preventive practices in the African American population.