How social connections affect getting to the hospital quickly after a stroke
Social networks and risk of delayed arrival to the hospital during stroke
This project looks at whether the size and closeness of someone's family and friend network affects how quickly a person with stroke gets to the hospital.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11291237 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or someone close to you has a stroke, researchers will ask about who is in your circle of family, friends, and caregivers and how decisions were made when symptoms started. They will compare the social networks of people who arrived early to the hospital with those who arrived late. The team will also build computer simulations to model how information and decisions spread through these networks. The goal is to use those findings to design practical ways to help people get to care faster.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who recently experienced a stroke or the family members/caregivers who were involved in the decision to seek care would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without a recent stroke or those unable to provide information about their social contacts (for example due to severe communication barriers) are less likely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new approaches that help people and their social contacts act faster during a stroke, improving access to life-saving treatments and reducing disability.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier smaller studies by this team and others have linked social network patterns to arrival times, but network-based interventions to reduce delays are largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dhand, Amar — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Dhand, Amar
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.