Stroke, the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability in the United States, has a disproportionate impact on underserved populations that is reflected in higher incidence and mortality rates in these groups. Several studies have suggested that blacks are less likely than whites to receive intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA), the only FDA-approved acute ischemic stroke therapy. Efforts are needed to elucidate factors contributing to racial/ethnic disparities in access to acute stroke care and to develop programs to overcome these barriers.
The specific aims of this intervention project are: A) to identify previously unrecognized sociocultural and environmental barriers to acute stroke treatment in an underserved, urban population;B) to investigate whether implementation of a multilevel intervention designed to address these barriers can significantly increase the number of ischemic stroke patients appropriately treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA);and C) to perform program evaluation of the methods used in the intervention to determine which efforts are the most effective. The investigators will assist each of 6 hospitals in the District of Columbia to develop a team of Stroke Champions to implement educational programs and standardized procedures designed to improve acute stroke care. Five Baltimore hospitals will serve as the control group. Essential design features of this project include: 1) a focus on underserved populations to identify community-specific barriers and then tailor existing stroke education materials to increase health literacy and decrease delays in seeking treatment;2) implementation of interventions to address educational, attitudinal, and structural barriers at the public, paramedic and hospital levels;and 3) assignment of a dedicated research coordinator to each hospital who will also serve as a Stroke Champion. The long term objective of the trial is to identify systematic, reproducible, effective methods for improving the delivery of acute stroke therapies in underserved areas that can be implemented in a broader arena. The only way to definitively affect outcomes for underserved stroke patients is to elucidate the complex issues related to access to treatment, and the District of Columbia is the ideal city in which to perform these investigations.
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