Abstract Body: Introduction: Stroke mortality rates are highest among Native Americans compared to all other racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. This population faces significant health and socioeconomic disparities, including elevated stroke risk. In Montana, Native Americans comprise approximately 6.5% of the population with 78,000 individuals. For Mission: Lifeline Stoke Montana, a key objective was to improve stroke outcomes in Native American communities through tailored public awareness campaigns.
Methods: In 2021, 398 Native Americans were surveyed to assess baseline stroke awareness. In 2023, 415 Native Americans responded to a post-campaign survey to evaluate impact. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in Qualtrics. Additionally, de-identified secondary data from the GWTG-Stroke registry were used to assess stroke outcomes among Native American patients at participating Montana hospitals from 2021 to 2023.
Results: Both baseline and follow-up survey samples comprised approximately 33% males and 66% females. At baseline, 75% of respondents correctly identified calling 911 as the appropriate initial response to stroke symptoms, which increased to 88% at follow-up. Most respondents at both baseline and follow-up indicated a preference for an ambulance for transportation to the hospital for a stroke. Familiarity with the F.A.S.T. acronym increased from 65% to 73% with over half of respondents correctly identifying an individual letter of F.A.S.T. compared to 85% at follow-up. Smaller increases occurred regarding discussions with a medical professional about the risk of stroke, with 64% at baseline and 60% at follow-up reporting they had not engaged in such discussions. Additionally, GWTG data showed a slight decrease in in-hospital mortality from Native American stroke patients between 2021 (10.8%) and 2023 (9.3%) and the percentage of patients discharged home increased from 55.4% to 57.0% in the same period.
Conclusion: The stroke awareness campaign launched by the Mission: Lifeline Stroke Montana program achieved success in improving stroke awareness among Native American populations, a group historically challenging to engage, especially in identifying the initial response to stroke symptoms as calling 911. However, continued efforts are necessary to bridge existing gaps and sustain advancements. Emphasis in future awareness campaigns should be placed on encouraging Montanans to talk a with healthcare professional regarding stroke risk.