Addressing stroke signs and symptoms through public education: the Stroke Heroes Act FAST campaign.

Introduction: In 2003, only 18% of Massachusetts adults were aware of all signs and symptoms of stroke, but 80% would call 9-1-1 if they thought someone was having a stroke or heart attack. Because early recognition leads to early treatment and improved clinical outcomes, increasing symptom recognition could have an impact on stroke survival and stroke patients' quality of life.

Methods: We conducted secondary research to identify messages with evidence-based effectiveness for communicating stroke signs and symptoms.