The role of personal exposure to stroke in stroke awareness among Palestinian university students: a cross-sectional study

Background Early recognition of stroke symptoms is critical to ensuring a timely emergency response and access to acute stroke therapies that must be administered within specific time windows. Personal exposure to stroke may enhance stroke awareness by increasing perceived susceptibility and severity, and fostering experiential learning. This study investigated whether a family history of stroke and personal acquaintance with a stroke survivor were associated with stroke knowledge among Palestinian university students. Methods This cross-sectional study included undergraduate students from four universities in West Bank in May 2026. Knowledge was measured using an Arabic translation of the 20-item Stroke Knowledge Test (SKT) that had not been formally validated. Participants were grouped into three categories: no exposure, knowing someone with exposure only, or having both family history and personal knowledge of a survivor. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the continuous score (0–20), adjusting for sex, age, university, and academic field. Logistic regression was also used to examine a study-defined, unvalidated threshold of ≥10/20. Results Of the 393 students, 86.3% were enrolled in health sciences. A total of 205 (52.2%) reported neither a family history of stroke nor knowing a stroke survivor, 129 (32.8%) knew a stroke survivor but had no family history of stroke, and 59 (15.0%) reported both a family history of stroke and knowing a stroke survivor. Mean scores were 11.59 ± 4.88, 12.48 ± 4.47, and 13.17 ± 3.77, respectively ( p = 0.038). Compared with no exposure, adjusted scores were higher among those who knew someone only ( B = 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.09–1.88; p = 0.031) and among those with both exposures ( B = 1.26, 95% CI: 0.08–2.45; p = 0.036). The corresponding odds ratios (ORs) for meeting the study-defined threshold were 2.33 (95% CI: 1.29–4.22) and 2.90 (95% CI: 1.23–6.84). Conclusion Personal exposure to stroke was associated with higher knowledge scores in this sample, which consisted predominantly of health sciences students. The continuous score analysis supports an association independent of the study-defined cutoff. The unvalidated Arabic adaptation and the use of convenience sampling limit interpretation and generalizability. Survivor-based educational approaches warrant evaluation.