Volume 2: No. 3, July 2005

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Terminology in “Rural Community Knowledge of Stroke Warning Signs and Risk Factors”

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Suggested citation for this article: Day MW. Terminology in “Rural community knowledge of stroke warning signs and risk factors” [letter to the editor]. Prev Chronic Dis [serial online] 2005 Jul [date cited]. Available from: URL: http://www.cy118119.com/pcd/issues/2005/
jul/05_0040.htm.

To the Editor:

While I appreciate the effort of Blades et al in conducting the valuable research for “Rural Community Knowledge of Stroke Warning Signs and Risk Factors” (1), I believe that respondents to the survey do not necessarily represent rural communities. The authors cite county population densities as justification for using this classification; however, Cascade and Yellowstone counties contain two of the largest cities in the state of Montana. Statistically, the survey would have had to include a disproportionately large number of respondents who live either in the city’s limits or its nearby suburbs. In addition, the authors did not note this as a limitation of the study. A survey using zip codes for small towns (less than 5000 inhabitants) more than 30 miles from a tertiary health care facility would be a more appropriate methodology in determining a true rural community.

Michael W. Day, RN, MSN, CCRN
Outreach Educator and Clinical Nurse Specialist
Northwest MedStar
Spokane, Wash

References

1. Blades LL, Oser CS, Dietrich DW, Okon NJ, Rodriguez DV, Burnett AM, et al. Rural community knowledge of stroke warning signs and risk factors. Prev Chronic Dis [serial online] 2005 Apr [cited 2005 Apr 1].

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