Public Awareness and Recognition of Alarming Symptoms of Post-traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

Early management can greatly reduce morbidity and mortality rates in post-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). This study assessed the level of awareness and recognition of the alarming symptoms of post-traumatic ICH in Taif, Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A non-probability convenience sampling method was used to recruit participants aged ≥ 18 years (434 participants). A structured questionnaire was used to determine the risk factors, alarm signs and symptoms, ability to recognize these signs, and participants who experienced head trauma.

RESULTS

The questionnaire demonstrated acceptable reliability (overall Cronbach's α = 0.9, McDonald's ω = 0.9; item-deleted range 0.7-0.9). The mean awareness score was 9.8 ± 5.5, with 37.7% (n=164) of participants showing poor awareness. Most of them recognized convulsions (71.0%, n=308) and loss of consciousness (70.3%, n=305) as alarming symptoms. Awareness did not differ by prior head trauma history (p > 0.05). Males and older age were significant predictors of higher awareness of multiple symptoms (p < 0.05), whereas educational levels showed no consistent association.

CONCLUSIONS

There is moderate awareness regarding certain symptoms such as altered levels of consciousness and convulsions. However, notable gaps persist in awareness of several risk factors and child-specific symptoms, including changes in feeding habits, alterations in breastfeeding patterns, and disruptions in sleep routines. The male sex and older age were significantly associated with awareness of several individual post-traumatic ICH warning signs, although these associations should be interpreted cautiously given the study's convenience sampling, cross-sectional design, and lack of adjustment for multiple comparisons. As the study relied on a non-probability convenience sample recruited through social media, the sample cannot be considered representative of the general population. Enhancing awareness of risk factors and alterations in sleep patterns of children requires training programs for parents, caregivers, and the public.