The challenge

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability, but awareness of its symptoms, causes and risk factors can vary considerably between communities.

Stroke also disproportionately affects some racial and ethnic minority communities, with disparities in stroke risk and care well documented. Risk factors including hypertension, obesity and diabetes can contribute to these inequalities, while hypertension is a major contributor to racial and ethnic disparities in health.

Against this background, researchers at London South Bank University (LSBU) set out to explore how Black and Minority Ethnic communities in Croydon understand stroke including its causes, warning signs and risk factors.

The research was particularly motivated by the team's clinical experience of caring for patients affected by stroke.

“Having worked in neurocritical care for years, caring for critically ill stroke patients, I wanted to do work that focused on stroke prevention, especially among young people and underserved communities.”

— Dr Siobhan Mclernon, LSBU

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The approach

Working in partnership with the Croydon BME Forum and the Asian Resource Centre of Croydon (ARCC), the research team conducted focus groups with people aged 18–65 from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.

Participants were invited to discuss questions including what a stroke is, what causes it, which parts of the body are affected and what can be done to reduce the risk.

The research used a mixed-methods approach, combining the focus groups with a wider survey to explore stroke awareness and risk factors in greater depth.

Rather than presenting the findings through a traditional research report alone, the team used visual facilitation, live illustrations and participant quotations to make the research more accessible and engaging for community members and healthcare professionals.

The visual approach was very well received, including at the project's dissemination event.

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What the research found

Participants demonstrated a broad awareness of common stroke risk factors, including high blood pressure, smoking, stress and unhealthy lifestyles. Many also highlighted diet, family history and ethnicity as factors they associated with stroke risk.

Personal experiences also highlighted the devastating and life-changing impact stroke can have on individuals and families.

At the same time, the discussions identified opportunities to improve understanding of stroke symptoms and the importance of seeking urgent medical attention.

The wider survey has now also been completed as part of the mixed-methods study, providing additional data to build on the findings from the community discussions.

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From research to impact

The research findings have been brought together in a visual booklet, presenting community members' perspectives through illustrations and direct quotations.

The booklet provides an accessible educational resource for:

• Healthcare providers
• Community organisations
• Health and wellbeing initiatives
• The wider public

By placing participants' voices at the centre of the findings the research aims to ensure that community perspectives can help inform future stroke awareness initiatives and primary prevention strategies.

[READ THE STROKE AWARENESS BOOKLET]

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Looking ahead

The research team is continuing to build on the findings from the mixed-methods study.

The survey has now been completed, and two research publications are currently under review.

The findings will help inform future targeted interventions and recommendations aimed at strengthening primary stroke prevention across Croydon.

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Why this research matters

For the research team, the project is about more than understanding what people know about stroke. It is about listening to communities, sharing knowledge in ways that are accessible and using research to help shape future approaches to prevention.

By bringing together community voices, research evidence and visual storytelling the project is helping to explore how stroke awareness can be strengthened among communities experiencing health inequalities.

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