Comparison of stroke hospitalization rates among Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic whites.

The authors performed a prospective, community-based pilot stroke surveillance project in Nueces County, TX. Mexican-Americans showed a trend toward higher completed ischemic stroke hospitalization rates compared with non-Hispanic whites. Mexican-Americans were more commonly uninsured (p = 0.007) and were less likely to receive neuroimaging (p = 0.001). Additional studies are needed to confirm this finding and to determine the role of stroke risk factors and access to care variables.