Ethnic Disparities in Stroke

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Stroke is the second most common cause of mortality and the third most common cause of disability globally. While the incidence of stroke is falling in high-income countries, the incidence is increasing in low- and middle-income countries (Koton et al., JAMA 312:259, 2014; Vangen-Lonne et al., Stroke 48:544, 2017; Feigin et al., Lancet 383:245, 2014). The global estimate in 2013 shows that there were 6.5 million deaths due to stroke, 113 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost because of stroke, and 10.3 million new cases of strokes. The majority of the stroke burden, about 75% of all stroke-related mortality and 81.0% of the associated DALYs lost, occurred in low- and middle-income countries. In addition, stroke occurs 15 years earlier in people living in low- and middle-income countries than people living in high-income countries. Although the global estimates of stroke morbidity and mortality favor high-income countries than their low- and middle-income counterparts, there are clear ethnic disparities in stroke mortality, morbidity, and survival across ethnic groups in high-income countries. This chapter discusses ethnic disparities in stroke in high-income countries with major focus in Europe.