Reducing the Incidence of Ischemic Stroke, the Community Service Team of the Neurology Study Program at UNUD Faculty of Medicine Holds a Stroke Prevention Awareness Campaign

            Ischemic stroke, commonly known as a blood vessel blockage stroke, is a disease that occurs due to a sudden blockage in the blood flow to the brain. This disease has complex causes and often results in permanent disabilities that hinder the activities and independence of patients in their daily lives. Considering the high burden caused by stroke occurrences, it is important to reduce the incidence of stroke through early prevention.

            The community service team of the Neurology Study Program at Udayana University's Faculty of Medicine, in collaboration with the Public Health Center Unit (UPTD) of Abiansemal 1 in Badung Regency, conducted a community service project in the form of health education in Ayunan Village, Abiansemal District, Badung Regency. This awareness campaign aimed to support efforts to reduce the incidence of stroke by increasing public knowledge about various measures to prevent stroke. The activities, led by Dr. dr. Kumara Tini, Sp.N(K), FINS, FINA, consisted of education on the prevention of blockage stroke, followed by the examination of stroke risk factors and consultation sessions with neurology specialists.

            Ayunan Village was chosen as the target area for the campaign due to the relatively high number of elderly population (senior citizens), who are vulnerable to stroke, and it is one of the assisted villages of the UPTD of Abiansemal 1 in Badung Regency. The village chief, Mr. I Wayan Kumara Natha, S.H., was very enthusiastic and positively welcomed this planned activity.

            The event, which took place on Friday, August 18, 2023, involved 62 participants, predominantly elderly individuals with various educational and occupational backgrounds. The participants were eager to listen to the education session, ask questions, and engage in discussions. They also underwent examinations for stroke risk factors, such as blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, fasting blood sugar, cholesterol, and uric acid levels. The participants eagerly consulted with the attending neurology specialists, asking about ischemic stroke and its prevention.

            Most of the participants were women, aged over 60, with low education levels, and still actively working. In terms of habits that increase stroke risk, such as smoking and alcohol consumption, the participants, in general, had good habits, with most of them not having a history of smoking or consuming alcoholic beverages. During the interviews, all participants also reported no previous experience of stroke, making primary prevention the most suitable focus for this group. The participants were also mostly free from diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and high cholesterol, indicating good health histories. However, during the examination of risk factors, it was found that approximately 45.2% of the participants had high blood pressure, 51.6% had high cholesterol levels, and 53.2% had high uric acid levels. This indicates that the community still needs special attention in preventing the incidence of stroke by controlling any abnormalities detected at present. Other risk factors, such as blood sugar levels and nutritional status, were within normal limits, indicating that the nutritional status of the Ayunan village community is still fairly good.

            The outcome of this education campaign is an increase in the participants' knowledge about ischemic stroke and an understanding of preventive measures, which will contribute to a decrease in the incidence and disability caused by stroke in the future. This outcome target was evaluated through a question and answer session after the education program and individual consultations with specialist doctors following the examination of ischemic stroke risk factors.

            The increase in participants' knowledge is expected to reduce the incidence and disability rates, and the results of the examination of stroke risk factors will serve as an early indication for participants to adopt a healthy lifestyle and control existing stroke risk factors.

            In conclusion, the community service team of the Neurology Department at Unud hopes that this activity can continue in a sustainable manner, so that the community will constantly remember the importance of preventing blockage stroke. Additionally, it is crucial to enhance knowledge regarding ischemic stroke prevention among primary healthcare professionals and community health workers so that they can serve as the first line of defense in improving health outcomes in other assisted areas.

Figure 4.2 Health promoting by Dr. dr. Kumara Tini, Sp.N (K), FINS, FINA

Figur 4.3 Photo with all partisipant

Figur 4.4 Enthusiasm participant to asking and discuss 

Figur 4.5 Checking risk factors of stroke iskemik\

Figur 4.6 Discussion sesion with neurologists.

Figur 4.7 X-Banner product