To explore the determinants and potential interventions for pre-hospital delay in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) from the perspective of frontline clinical healthcare professionals.

A descriptive qualitative study was conducted using purposive sampling to recruit 12 clinical healthcare professionals for semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, facilitated by NVivo 14 qualitative analysis software.

The causes of and strategies to address delays in seeking medical care among patients with acute ischemic stroke are summarized under four themes:core causes and misconceptions regarding pre-hospital delays (insufficient awareness is the most prominent factor contributing to delays); key factors in in-hospital delays (risk concerns and time-consuming communication during thrombolysis decision-making are the primary causes of in-hospital delays); the effectiveness of public health education and digital tools (in-hospital education is most effective, while digital tools integrate multidimensional modules and cover the entire process); and intervention promotion strategies (differentiated, tiered outreach strategies tailored to specific populations).

Pre-hospital delay in AIS is a multifactorial issue resulting from the interplay of cognitive, behavioral, economic, social support, and healthcare system factors. Targeted, precision interventions tailored to specific population subgroups are essential to effectively reduce delays and improve patient outcomes.