Results from a new survey conducted by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA), the world’s leading voluntary health organization devoted to fighting cardiovascular disease and stroke, found that stroke survivors have low confidence in their ability to prevent another stroke.

Nearly 800,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke every year, with about one in four being recurrent strokes. Fortunately, stroke is largely preventable through physical activity, healthy eating and medication adherence.

The survey, which included 1,129 adult participants (survivors, caregivers and healthcare professionals) nationwide, was conducted as part of the American Stroke Association’s Together to End Stroke® second stroke awareness campaign, nationally sponsored by Bayer® Aspirin.

The newly launched, four-year campaign, aims to raise greater awareness among stroke survivors of their heightened risk of having another stroke and to provide them with guidance to help with behaviors like exercising regularly and staying motivated, as these were major challenges reported by the survey participants. Specific campaign goals include:

• Reducing stroke reoccurrence
• Reducing 30-day hospital readmission
• Increasing stroke patient knowledge of risk factors
• Educating about healthy lifestyle changes and medication adherence
• Educating about rehabilitation options and benefits

“We are working diligently to provide stroke survivors and caregivers with the awareness, education and tools needed to feel highly confident in taking control of their health to significantly reduce their risk of experiencing another stroke,” said Dr. Joseph Hanna, Chairman of Neurology at The MetroHealth System, Inc., in Cleveland and AHA/ASA Spokesperson.

Frequent doctor recommended interventions such as medications to manage known stroke risk factors, following an aspirin regimen, if prescribed, and stroke rehabilitation, are key elements that can contribute to preventing another stroke.

Additional survey findings:

• Exercising regularly is the biggest challenge reported by Survivors (23%).
• The most common changes that survivors made to their lifestyle since their stroke are taking recommended medication (83%) and taking aspirin daily (63%).
• Half of Survivors and Caregivers (49%) have heard of F.A.S.T.
• Both Survivors and Caregivers view high blood pressure as the most important factor putting someone at risk for a second stroke (58% and 59%, respectively).
• Survivors consistently rate their overall health and sociability as much better than do Caregivers.