Every Second Counts – Ecuador (AEMPPI)

Name of the activity: Every Second Counts

Country/NMO: Ecuador (AEMPPI)

Program: Healthy Lifestyles & Non-Communicable Diseases

Contact information: [email protected]

Type of the activity: Campaign

General description:

The main idea of this activity is to teach medical students about stroke, by making a theorical conference for 60 participants from all levels, where experts in the topic will talk about the etiology, clinics, pathology, management, treatment and physical therapy, There is also going to be a public campaing on sunday 29th about importance of early treatment and the importance of recognizing an initial stroke. This activity is also registered in World Stroke Day 2017 from World Stroke Campaign. Participants also will be able to add a frame in social media supporting the activity.
Finally, we will make a NMO policy statement about stroke units and emergency systems that exist now, and presenting the results of our study in the general conception of the stroke.

Focus area:

Stroke

Problem statement:

According to the WHO, its one of the first causes of death worldwide. In Ecuador accounts for the second mortality cause and third cause of disability (INEC 2014) . It is important to acknowledge that most of this cases can be prevented by acting over obesity, sedentary lifestyles, smoking and high blood pressure. The therapeutic window of treatment is limited, so early recognition of symptoms asumes a big importance for this activity too.
We as medical students, are trying to make a statement in our public health system in this topic, by starting with a capacitation for students and a open public campaign through newspapers, social media and others

Target groups and beneficiaries:

Our target group are medical students from all levels and general population. We are going to have 60 participants in the conference. The beneficiaries are all the patients with the disease who can be treated earlier with better outcomes.

Objectives and indicators of success:

Capacitate 60 medical students from all levels with a theorical conference about early stroke symptoms, therapy time window, post stroke management, who later will be able to transmit this knowledge to the general population.
We will also advocate for public health statements in Ecuador with a NMO policy statemen
We will collect the data obtained from the general population in order to present the public conception about stroke.

Methodology:

Experts in the topic are going to facilitate a conference that includes:
Etiology
Pathology
Clinics
Management and importance of early treatment
Ambulatory physical therapy

Plans for evaluation:

We have 3 ways for us to evaluate the activity.
First we are going to ask participants questions in the inscription form, that they will answer before the conference, then, after the Project they will have to answer the same questions, after the doctors say the information during their speeches.
So, in that way we are going to be able to compare the results before and after.
The second evaluation strategy is asking the participants for feedback in the different logistic areas, to improve our activities with this results.
Publishing the data obtained from general perception about stroke will be presented in medical magazines or social media.