Awareness of Stroke Symptoms, Risk Factors, and Utilization of Neuroradiology Services Among the General Public in Saudi Arabia

Background: Stroke is a major global health issue. It is among the leading causes of disability and mortality worldwide. Early stroke detection and treatment are significant in enhancing long-term outcomes. Awareness of neuroimaging is also essential because neuroimaging must be completed urgently within a limited time to diagnose and treat stroke patients correctly. This study aims to investigate awareness of stroke symptoms, risk factors, and utilization of neuroradiology services among the public in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is an online survey study that was conducted in Saudi Arabia using social media platforms between January to February 2026. The questionnaire tool for this study was adapted from previous research and examined stroke awareness, symptoms, and risk factors. In addition, it examined neuroradiology awareness and utilization. The multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of better awareness of stroke. Results: A total of 415 participants were involved in this study. Around 46.7% of them were aged 25–34 years. Females formed the majority of the study sample, comprising 76.4%. Bachelor’s degree holders formed 61.4% of the study sample. Around 42.9% of the study sample were unemployed. Married participants contributed 64.3%. Almost half of the study sample (47.2%) reported that their monthly income is less than 5000 SAR. In this study, the participants demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge of stroke. The majority of the participants (70.8%) reported that they are aware of radiology centers near them that they can refer to in case of stroke emergency or follow-up, and 79.0% reported that they think that radiological imaging is important for diagnosing and treating stroke. The majority of the participants (72.3%) reported that they have heard of interventional radiology procedures for stroke. Participants aged 35–44 years and 55–64 years were less likely to have better knowledge of stroke compared to others (aOR: 0.21 (CI: 0.06–0.83); p-value: 0.026) and aOR: 0.17 (CI: 0.04–0.81); p-value: 0.026, respectively). Furthermore, participants who reported that their income level is 5000–9999 SAR and 10,000–14,999 SAR were less likely to have better knowledge of stroke compared to others (aOR: 0.32 (CI: 0.13–0.80); p-value: 0.014 and aOR: 0.21 (CI: 0.09–0.53); p-value: <0.001), respectively). On the other hand, participants who are unemployed were more likely to have better knowledge of stroke compared to others (aOR: 3.63 (CI: 1.09–12.05); p-value: 0.035). Conclusions: The current investigation demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge about strokes among the public in Saudi Arabia. Targeted interventions are mandated to improve the level of awareness about strokes, with a focus on knowledge of the correct emergency response, specifically calling an ambulance.