Regional Victorians are outperforming Melburnians when it comes to knowing the signs of stroke, new data from Stroke Foundation has revealed.
The foundation's F.A.S.T. National Awareness survey, which tests Australians' knowledge of the signs and risks of stroke, found that more regional Victorians than Melburnians know the three most common signs; facial droop, inability to lift both arms and slurred speech.
The 2025 survey data revealed that 63 per cent of regional Victorians know slurred speech is a sign of stroke compared to just 50 per cent of Melburnians, 53 per cent know facial droop compared to 43 per cent and 20 per cent compared to 16 per cent for inability to lift both arms.
In addition to this, regional Victorians' awareness of the signs has increased compared to the previous survey in 2023. Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lisa Murphy, says it's a welcome move in the right direction.
"It is encouraging to see awareness increase in any area but especially in regional Australia where people are 17 per cent more likely to have a stroke than those living in metropolitan areas. This means more people know the signs, will recognise a stroke sooner and call an ambulance faster. Knowing the F.A.S.T. signs saves lives."
Stroke is a medical emergency caused by a sudden interruption of blood flow to the brain (either due to a blockage or a bleed), which can lead to damage, loss of brain function or death.
Stroke is one of Australia's leading causes of death and disability. Around 46,000 stroke events impact Australians of all ages every year - that's one stroke every 11 minutes.
One in four strokes in Australia, around 11,500 annually, affect Victorians and there are currently more than 110,000 people living with stroke in the state.
"When a stroke strikes, it kills up to 1.9 million brain cells per minute which means there's no time to waste. Stroke may strike you, your loved one, a friend, or a colleague any time. The most important action you can take for that person is pick up the phone, dial triple zero (000) for an ambulance without delay and get them immediate emergency treatment," Dr Murphy said.
"For every 15 minutes saved in restoring blood flow to the brain, one month of healthy life is gained, so it is critical to act quickly and get emergency treatment as soon as possible."
Dr Murphy is urging all Australians to learn the signs of stroke by learning the F.A.S.T. acronym:
F is for Face - is their face drooping?
A is for Arms - can they lift both arms?
S is for Speech - is their speech slurred?
T is for Time - call triple zero immediately.
