Different words for stroke: the same concept? an analysis of associated symptoms and intended reaction in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Different names for stroke might mislead physicians and emergency medical service workers. This study aimed to assess the different words for stroke in Brazil and both intended response and related symptoms associated with those names. METHODS: Cross-sectional study enrolling healthy individuals from urban areas in Northeast of Brazil for an open-ended survey. We presented a typical clinical case of a stroke (an elderly who had sudden onset of hemiparalysis and slurred speech) and asked "what is happening?", "what would you do?" and "which other symptoms could happen in this condition?". RESUTS: From 1,475 interviewed individuals, 1,220 (82,7%) recognized the scenario as a stroke. There were 3 words to correctly identify (based on correct intended response and spontaneously evoked associated symptoms) the stroke, which were "AVC" (acronym for cerebrovascular accident, in Portuguese), "derrame" (spillage) and "trombose" (thrombosis). There were significant differences among them concerning demographic, economic, educational and geographical aspects, but there was no difference according to the intended reaction among them. The most cited associated symptoms (excluding those present in the case) were impaired consciousness (10.6%), headache (8.9%) and dysesthesia (7.7%). "Aneurisma" (aneurism) was also cited, by 3 individuals. CONCLUSION: There are at least three words for stroke in Portuguese ("AVC", "derrame" and "trombose"); they were similar in terms of correct intended responses and spontaneously cited accompanying symptoms. Stroke campaigns should apply different names to reach a broader audience and to improve stroke recognition.

Prevalence, phenotype, and academic impact of headache among undergraduate health sciences students: a crosssectional study / Prevalência, fenótipo e impacto da cefaleia na performance acadêmica de universitários da área de ciências da saúde: um estudo transversal

Headache is a common neurological condition among university students, and it can impact their academic performance. Objectives: to investigate the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and impact of headache on academic performance among undergraduate students of health sciences. Methods: The study was undertaken during February-June 2021 among a convenience sample of undergraduate students of Campus Lagarto of Federal University of Sergipe (UFS). Data were collected using an online self-administered questionnaire, which comprised a form with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics data and the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS). Results: A total of 154 students participated in the study, with a mean of age of 23.35 ± 5.02 years and 75.9% were females. The overall headache prevalence was 93.5% in the past three months. Of those, 94.4% reported experiencing frequent headaches (≥2 episodes/month), 68.1% described the headache duration between 1-4 hours, with frontal predominance (38.9%), bilateral (50.7%), pulsating/throbbing quality (66.7%), moderate intensity (56.2%). Headache was associated with photophobia (53.9%), phonophobia (32.7%) and nausea (30.5%). Stress or anxiety (80.5%), excessive electronic devices use (68.8%), and sleep disturbance (61.7%) were considered as common triggering factors for headache among the participants. The MIDAS score showed that 73.5% of the students had some disability, and 77.1% stated that headache negatively affect their academic achievements. Conclusion: The prevalence of headache among the students oh health sciences courses was high and negatively impacted their academic performance. Thus, further studies are recommended to design strategies to reduce the headache prevalence and to increase the academic performance of these students.

Cefaleia é uma condição neurológica comum entre estudantes universitários e pode impactar sua performance acadêmica. Objetivos: Investigar a prevalência, características clínicas e o impacto da cefaleia no desempenho acadêmico de estudantes da área da saúde. Métodos: Um total de 154 estudantes participou do estudo, com idade média de 23,35 ± 5,02 anos, sendo 75.9% mulheres. A prevalência de cefaleia foi 93,5% (144/154) nos últimos três meses. Dos estudantes com cefaleia, 94,4% relataram cefaleia frequente (≥2 episódios/mês), 68,1% descreveram duração das crises entre 1 e 4 horas, com predominância frontal (38,9%), bilateral (50,7%), caráter pulsátil (66,7%), e intensidade moderada (56,25%). Cefaleia foi associada com fotofobia, fonobia e náusea em 53.9%, 32,7% e 30,5% dos estudantes, respectivamente. Estresse e ansiedade (80,5%), uso excessivo de aparelhos eletrônicos (68,8%) e distúrbios do sono (61.7%) foram considerados os principais fatores desencadeantes de cefaleia entre os participantes. O score do MIDAS mostrou que 73.5% dos estudantes tinham algum grau de incapacidade e 77.1% dos estudantes relataram impacto negativo da cefaleia em sua performance acadêmica. Conclusão: A prevalência de cefaleia entre os estudantes da área da saúde foi alta e reduziu a performance acadêmica deles. Assim, mais estudos são recomendados para melhorar o conhecimento sobre a epidemiologia da cefaleia entre estes estudantes e aumentar seu desempenho acadêmico.