Pre-hospital delays in patients experiencing symptoms of acute stroke or transient ischaemic attack.

Aim Delays in seeking help following stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) are associated with worse outcomes and missed treatment opportunities, including stroke reperfusion therapy. This study aims to discover the reasons for these delays. Method Patients admitted with stroke or TIA were eligible for inclusion. In Part A, we collected demographic data and particulars at the time of symptom onset, with data dichotomised into early ( Results One-half of 41 patients presented early. Living closer to hospital (36.4 vs 54.4 km, p=0.036) and early contact with healthcare services (37 vs 1382 minutes, p=0.001) were associated with early presentation; contact with emergency services within 15 minutes of symptom onset was significantly associated with treatment with thrombolytics (p 0.05). Themes associated with delays included: difficulty understanding symptoms, personal beliefs, minimising symptoms, the influence of others and fulfilling prior responsibilities. Conclusions The findings of this study provide important insights that could help healthcare organisations introduce strategies to help improve access to organised stroke services.