ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Med.
Sec. Healthcare Professions Education
Knowledge, Practice, and Awareness of Stroke Warning Signs and Potential Risk Factors among future Rehabilitation specialists in Saudi Arabia
Provisionally accepted
- Department of Health Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Background: Stroke remains a leading cause of long-term disability and mortality worldwide, with a growing prevalence in Saudi Arabia. While rehabilitation plays a vital role in post-stroke recovery, improving awareness of stroke risk factors and warning signs is essential for timely recognition and management. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, awareness, and practices related to stroke warning signs and risk factors among rehabilitation students.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous online questionnaire distributed to 203 rehabilitation students. The survey assessed demographic data and participants' knowledge regarding stroke risk factors, symptoms, and management awareness.Results: The findings indicated a moderate level of knowledge about stroke, with an average score of 9.24 out of 13. Participants most frequently recognized hypertension and smoking as major risk factors and identified key symptoms such as motor and speech difficulties. However, significant gaps were noted in understanding that stroke is a brain disease that can affect individuals across all age groups, as well as in knowledge of extracranial clot formation, endovascular management, and post-stroke emotional and personality changes. Conclusion: Although this study assessed knowledge rather than clinical practice or patient outcomes, the results highlight the need for targeted educational initiatives, integration of comprehensive stroke education modules into rehabilitation curricula, and awareness campaigns to address misconceptions and enhance stroke literacy among future healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia.
Keywords: knowledge, Rehabilitation, Risk factors, Saudi Arabia, Stroke, Warning signs
Received: 01 Dec 2025; Accepted: 23 Jan 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Albishi, Almutair, Alshehri, Almurdi and Alabdulwahab. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Alaa Albishi
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