Knowledge of Stroke, Its Warning Symptoms, Risk Factors and Treatment among the General Public and General Practitioners in a South Asian Population.

Background: An adequate stroke literacy among the general public and first-contact physicians is an essential prerequisite to ensure timely treatment and prevention of stroke. Knowledge on stroke pathophysiology, warning symptoms, risk factors and treatment, and its determinants was assessed among general public and general practitioners (GPs) in a South Asian population.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among relatives of nonstroke patients admitted to the apex tertiary-care hospital in Sri Lanka.

Cardiovascular risk in lupus nephritis: Do renal disease-related and other traditional risk factors play a role?

This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of thickened carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) in a Sri Lankan cohort of lupus nephritis (LN) patients and to identify associations between traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) and LN-related risk factors with increased CIMT. Consecutive patients with biopsy-proven LN were evaluated for conventional CVD risk factors, renal parameters and extent of organ involvement in this cross-sectional study. Current disease activity and damage were assessed by the British Isles Lupus Activity Group (BILAG) score and the Systemic Lupus International Collaborative Clinics/American College of Rheumatology (SLICC/ACR) damage index, respectively.

Awareness of breast cancer among adolescent girls in Colombo, Sri Lanka: a school based study.

Background: Breast cancer is the commonest cancer in women worldwide. Although programmes promoting breast cancer awareness are being carried out throughout Sri Lanka, few have targeted school students. We conducted this study to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding breast cancer with reference to screening, services available, breast self-examination, and sources of information, among adolescent schoolgirls in the Colombo District of Sri Lanka.