The study aimed to evaluate delays in emergency department (ED) arrival among stroke patients and to identify demographic factors that contribute to these delays. It was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of Neurology, Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, from January to July 2024. A total of 174 patients attending the ED for acute stroke were interviewed. There were 112 men and 62 women, with a mean age of 60.54 ± 12.74 years. One hundred and twenty-six (72.4%) of these patients presented to the ED more than four hours after the onset of stroke symptoms. Factors associated with late arrivals included education level (p <0.001), place of residence (p = 0.043), distance travelled (p <0.001), stroke onset time (p = 0.002), referral from another hospital (p <0.001), and awareness of facilities providing acute stroke care (p <0.001). More than half of patients failed to reach the critical window for thrombolysis because of delays in arrival. Contributing factors comprise insufficient awareness and challenges in accessing care. Prompt community-focused measures are imperative to tackle these issues effectively. Key Words: Stroke, Emergency services, Thrombolytic therapy, Demography, Educational status.
Zaidi et al. (Mon,) studied this question.