Illuminating Strokes: Shining a Light on Cultural Considerations within the Spanish-Speaking Community with Fiona Smith

Fiona Smith, a PhD student at the Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston and Stroke Coordinator at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, recently joined the Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases Stroke Busters podcast to discuss her research on stroke awareness within the Spanish-speaking community. Smith's passion for improving stroke care and reducing disparities in healthcare access has driven her to focus on the cultural factors that influence care-seeking behavior among Spanish speakers.

Smith highlighted the importance of the RAPIDO acronym, a Spanish-language tool designed to help individuals recognize the signs of stroke and take action. RAPIDO, which translates to "fast" in English, stands for:

R: Rostro caído (fallen face)

A: Afectación de equilibrio (balance impairment)

P: Pérdida de fuerza en los brazos (weakness in the arms)

I: Impedimento visual (visual impairment)

D: Dificultad para hablar (difficulty speaking)

O: Obtener ayuda (obtain help)

Smith emphasized that while the RAPIDO acronym is an essential tool for stroke recognition, it is equally important to understand the cultural factors that may influence an individual's decision to seek care. Her current research focuses on identifying these variables and developing strategies to ensure that everyone seeks care as quickly as possible when experiencing stroke symptoms.

Smith also stressed the importance of collaboration among healthcare professionals, including nurses, doctors, therapists, and technologists, in making significant changes to improve stroke care in the community. She encourages healthcare professionals and researchers passionate about addressing cultural barriers to find mentors and advisors who can provide guidance and support in pursuing their research goals.

Fiona Smith's dedication to improving stroke awareness and care within the Spanish-speaking community serves as an inspiration to healthcare professionals and researchers alike. Her work highlights the importance of understanding and addressing cultural factors in healthcare delivery and the power of community engagement in promoting better health outcomes for all.

Stroke Busters, a Podcast

Presented by: The Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) or “Stroke Institute

Genre: Medicine

About

StrokeBusters is a podcast series of recorded conversations on the topic of stroke and cerebrovascular disease. Based in the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world, we tap into our local network of astonishing leaders in healthcare and medicine to discuss the latest and most exciting news in stroke. Throughout this ten-episode series, we connect with UTHealth physicians and researchers, many who are experts in their field, to discuss their practice, cutting-edge research and medical care.

Who We Are

The Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease, better known as the Stroke Institute, serves as a multi-disciplinary hub for research and best practices in stroke recovery, stroke prevention, services, population health, and vascular dementia. We are one of the most active research and clinical programs in the country, the first Comprehensive Stroke Center in the state, and launched the first Mobile Stroke Unit in the nation.

Our stroke program, founded by Dr. James Grotta in 1979, specializes in stroke epidemiology, clinical trial design, and basic science. We train the next generation of revolutionary academics and leaders in cerebrovascular disease through our NINDS-funded fellowship programs.

Contact

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact us at info.uthiscd@gmail.com