First stroke incidence, causes, treatments, and outcomes for Aboriginal Peoples in South Australia and the Northern Territory: a pilot prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: We performed a pilot stroke incidence study, focused on feasibility and inclusion of the CONSIDER reporting guidelines, to model the design of a future population-based study aiming to definitively determine stroke incidence, antecedents, treatment, and outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective stroke incidence study (pilot study). SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: All people aged 15 years or older who lived in postcode-defined areas of South Australia and Northern Territory (885 472 people, including 45 127 Aboriginal people [5.1%]) diagnosed with stroke for the first time during 1 October - 31 December 2015 and admitted to public hospitals or stroke and transient ischaemic attack clinics. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Feasibility of a prospective population-based stroke incidence study. RESULTS: Of the 123 participants with first strokes, ten were Aboriginal (8%); the median age of Aboriginal people was 45 years (interquartile range [IQR], 33-55 years), of non-Indigenous people 73 years (IQR, 62-84 years). For Aboriginal people, the age-standardised incidence of stroke was 104 (95% confidence interval [CI], 84-124) per 100 000 person-years, for non-Indigenous people 33 (95% CI, 22-44) per 100 000 person-years. We found that a prospective population-based stroke incidence study in Aboriginal people was feasible, including with respect to establishing an adequate sample size, diagnostic confirmation, identification of incident stroke, confirming stroke subtypes, establishing a stable statistical population, standardising data reporting for comparison with other stroke incidence studies, and ethical research reporting that conforms to CONSIDER guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: A larger, population-based study of the incidence of stroke in Aboriginal people is both feasible and needed to provide robust estimates of stroke incidence, antecedents, treatments and outcomes to help guide strategies for reducing the risk of and outcomes of stroke in Aboriginal people.

Association Between Immigration Status and Ambulatory Secondary Stroke Preventive Care in Ontario, Canada.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Secondary stroke preventive care includes evaluation and control of vascular risk factors to prevent stroke recurrence. Our objective was to evaluate the quality of ambulatory stroke preventive care and its variation by immigration status in adult stroke survivors in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: We conducted a population-based administrative database-derived retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada. Using immigration records, we defined immigrants as those immigrating after 1985 and long-term residents as those arriving before 1985 or those born in Canada. We included community-dwelling stroke survivors 40 years and older with a first-ever stroke between 2011 and 2017. In the year following their stroke, we evaluated the following metrics of stroke prevention: testing for hyperlipidemia and diabetes; among those with the condition, control of diabetes (hemoglobin A1c ≤7%) and hyperlipidemia (low-density lipoprotein <2 mmol/L); medication use to control hypertension, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation; and visit to a family physician and a specialist (neurologist, cardiologist, or geriatrician). We determined age and sex-adjusted absolute prevalence difference (APD) between immigrants and long-term residents for each metric using generalized linear models with binomial distribution and an identity link function. RESULTS: We included 34,947 stroke survivors (median age 70 years, 46.9% women) of whom 12.4% were immigrants. The receipt of each metric ranged from 68% to 90%. Compared with long-term residents, after adjusting for age and sex, immigrants were slightly more likely to receive screening for hyperlipidemia (APD 5.58%; 95% CI 4.18-6.96) and diabetes (5.49%; 3.76-7.23), have visits to family physicians (1.19%; 0.49-1.90), receive a prescription for antihypertensive (3.12%; 1.76-4.49) and antihyperglycemic medications (9.51%; 6.46-12.57), and achieve control of hyperlipidemia (3.82%; 1.01-6.63). By contrast, they were less likely to achieve diabetes control (-4.79%; -7.86 to -1.72) or have visits to a specialist (-1.68%; -3.12 to -0.24). There was minimal variation by region of origin or time since immigration in immigrants. DISCUSSION: Compared with long-term residents, many metrics of secondary stroke preventive care were better in immigrants, albeit with small absolute differences. However, future work is needed to identify and mitigate the factors associated with the suboptimal quality of stroke preventive care for all stroke survivors.

Financial Well-Being Among US Adults with Vascular Conditions: Differential Impacts Among Blacks and Hispanics.

Background: The ability to meet current and ongoing financial obligations, known as financial well-being (FWB), is not only associated with the likelihood of adverse health events but is also affected by unexpected health care expenditures. However, the relationship between FWB and common health outcomes is not well understood. Using data available in the Financial Well-Being Scale from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, we evaluated the impact of four vascular conditions-cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, high blood pressure (BP), and high cholesterol-on FWB and how these impacts varied between racial and ethnic groups. Methods: Using the Understanding America Survey-a nationally representative, longitudinal panel-we identified adults with self-reported diagnoses between 2014 and 2020 of high cholesterol, high BP, stroke, and CVD. We used stratified, longitudinal mixed regression models to assess the association between these diagnoses and FWB. Each condition was modeled separately and included sex, age, marital status, household size, income, education, race/ethnicity, insurance, body mass index, and an indicator of the condition. Racial and ethnic differentials were captured using group-condition interactions. Results: On average, Whites had the highest FWB Scale score (69.0, SD=21.8), followed by other races (66.7, SD=21.0), Hispanics (59.3, SD=21.6), and Blacks (56.2, SD=21.4). In general, FWB of individuals with vascular conditions was lower than that of those without, but the impact varied between racial and ethnic groups. Compared with Whites (the reference group), Blacks with CVD (-7.4, SD=1.0), stroke (-8.1, SD=1.5), high cholesterol (-5.7, SD=0.7), and high BP (6.1, SD=0.7) had lower FWB. Similarly, Hispanics with high BP (-3.0, SD=0.6) and CVD (-6.3, SD=1.3) had lower FWB. Income, education, insurance, and marital status were also correlated with FWB. Conclusions: These results indicated differences in the financial ramifications of vascular conditions among racial and ethnic groups. Findings suggest the need for interventions targeting FWB of individuals with vascular conditions, particularly those from minority groups.

Home Blood Pressure Telemonitoring and Nurse Case Management in Black and Hispanic Patients With Stroke: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Black and Hispanic patients have high rates of recurrent stroke and uncontrolled hypertension in the US. The effectiveness of home blood pressure telemonitoring (HBPTM) and telephonic nurse case management (NCM) among low-income Black and Hispanic patients with stroke is unknown. Objective: To determine whether NCM plus HBPTM results in greater systolic blood pressure (SBP) reduction at 12 months and lower rate of stroke recurrence at 24 months than HBPTM alone among Black and Hispanic stroke survivors with uncontrolled hypertension. Design, Setting, and Participants: Practice-based, multicenter, randomized clinical trial in 8 stroke centers and ambulatory practices in New York City. Black and Hispanic study participants were enrolled between April 18, 2014, and December 19, 2017, with a final follow-up visit on December 31, 2019. Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to receive either HBPTM alone (12 home BP measurements/week for 12 months, with results transmitted to a clinician; n = 226) or NCM plus HBPTM (20 counseling calls over 12 months; n = 224). Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were change in SBP at 12 months and rate of recurrent stroke at 24 months. Final statistical analyses were completed March 14, 2024. Results: Among 450 participants who were enrolled and randomized (mean [SD] age, 61.7 [11.0] years; 51% were Black [n = 231]; 44% were women [n = 200]; 31% had ≥3 comorbid conditions [n = 137]; 72% had household income <$25 000/y [n = 234/324]), 358 (80%) completed the trial. Those in the NCM plus HBPTM group had a significantly greater SBP reduction than those in the HBPTM alone group at 12 months (-15.1 mm Hg [95% CI, -17.2 to -13.0] vs -5.8 mm Hg [95% CI, -7.9 to -3.7], respectively; P < .001). The between-group difference in SBP reduction at 12 months, adjusted for primary care physician clustering, was -8.1 mm Hg (95% CI, -11.2 to -5.0; P < .001) at 12 months. The rate of recurrent stroke was similar between both groups at 24 months (4.0% in the NCM plus HBPTM group vs 4.0% in the HBPTM alone group, P > .99). Conclusions and Relevance: Among predominantly low-income Black and Hispanic stroke survivors with uncontrolled hypertension, addition of NCM to HBPTM led to greater SBP reduction than HBPTM alone. Additional studies are needed to understand the long-term clinical outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and generalizability of NCM-enhanced telehealth programs among low-income Black and Hispanic stroke survivors with significant comorbidity. Trial Registration: Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT02011685.

Cumulative Systolic Blood Pressure and Incident Stroke Type Variation by Race and Ethnicity.

Importance: Stroke risk varies by systolic blood pressure (SBP), race, and ethnicity. The association between cumulative mean SBP and incident stroke type is unclear, and whether this association differs by race and ethnicity remains unknown. Objective: To examine the association between cumulative mean SBP and first incident stroke among 3 major stroke types-ischemic stroke (IS), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)-and explore how these associations vary by race and ethnicity. Design, Setting, and Participants: Individual participant data from 6 US longitudinal cohorts (January 1, 1971, to December 31, 2019) were pooled. The analysis was performed from January 1, 2022, to January 2, 2024. The median follow-up was 21.6 (IQR, 13.6-31.8) years. Exposure: Time-dependent cumulative mean SBP. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was time from baseline visit to first incident stroke. Secondary outcomes consisted of time to first incident IS, ICH, and SAH. Results: Among 40 016 participants, 38 167 who were 18 years or older at baseline with no history of stroke and at least 1 SBP measurement before the first incident stroke were included in the analysis. Of these, 54.0% were women; 25.0% were Black, 8.9% were Hispanic of any race, and 66.2% were White. The mean (SD) age at baseline was 53.4 (17.0) years and the mean (SD) SBP at baseline was 136.9 (20.4) mm Hg. A 10-mm Hg higher cumulative mean SBP was associated with a higher risk of overall stroke (hazard ratio [HR], 1.20 [95% CI, 1.18-1.23]), IS (HR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.17-1.22]), and ICH (HR, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.25-1.38]) but not SAH (HR, 1.13 [95% CI, 0.99-1.29]; P = .06). Compared with White participants, Black participants had a higher risk of IS (HR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.09-1.33]) and ICH (HR, 1.67 [95% CI, 1.30-2.13]) and Hispanic participants of any race had a higher risk of SAH (HR, 3.81 [95% CI, 1.29-11.22]). There was no consistent evidence that race and ethnicity modified the association of cumulative mean SBP with first incident stroke and stroke type. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this cohort study suggest that cumulative mean SBP was associated with incident stroke type, but the associations did not differ by race and ethnicity. Culturally informed stroke prevention programs should address modifiable risk factors such as SBP along with social determinants of health and structural inequities in society.

Estimating the contribution of overweight and obesity to ethnic inequalities in cardio-metabolic diseases in the Netherlands: a simulation study.

OBJECTIVES: Overweight and obesity (OWOB) starts in childhood, influences adult cardiovascular risk, and is not equally distributed across ethnic groups. It is unclear which effects can be expected from reductions in OWOB across the life course on inequalities in cardio-metabolic diseases in a multi-ethnic population. This study aims to estimate the effects of three scenarios of changes in OWOB (the Normal-Weight-for-All scenario, the No-Ethnic-Difference-over-the-Life-Course scenario, the and No-Ethnic-Differences-in-Childhood scenario). STUDY DESIGN: A simulation study. METHODS: We combine data from multiple data sources and use the Dynamic Modeling for Health Impact Assessment (DYNAMO-HIA) model to estimate the effects of three scenarios on the cumulative incidence of diabetes mellitus, ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke between 18 and 70 years in the five largest ethnic groups in the Netherlands. RESULTS: In the scenario where all individuals have normal weight, the cumulative incidence decreased in all ethnic minority groups for all diseases, with largest decreases among South-Asian Surinamese, where the reduction of diabetes incidence exceeded 50%. In the scenario where the prevalence of OWOB in each ethnic-minority group was reduced to the current level among the Dutch-origin population, ethnic inequalities in cardio-metabolic diseases were substantially reduced, particularly when lowered prevalence of OWOB persisted across the lifespan. Reductions were the largest for diabetes and for the Asian Surinamese population. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial part of the well-known ethnic inequalities in incidence of diabetes, IHD, and stroke can be attributed to OWOB. Interventions aimed at reducing OWOB have clear potential to reduce the health inequalities in these outcomes, especially for diabetes, in particular when they have an impact across the lifespan.

Prevalence of Stroke - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2011-2022.

Stroke was the fifth leading cause of death in the United States in 2021, and cost U.S. residents approximately $56.2 billion during 2019-2020. During 2006-2010, self-reported stroke prevalence among noninstitutionalized adults had a relative decrease of 3.7%. Data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used to analyze age-standardized stroke prevalence during 2011-2022 among adults aged ≥18 years. From 2011-2013 to 2020-2022, overall self-reported stroke prevalence increased by 7.8% nationwide. Increases occurred among adults aged 18-64 years; females and males; non-Hispanic Black or African American (Black), non-Hispanic White (White), and Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) persons; and adults with less than a college degree. Stroke prevalence was higher among adults aged ≥65 years than among younger adults; among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Black adults than among White adults; and among adults with less than a high school education than among those with higher levels of education. Stroke prevalence decreased in the District of Columbia and increased in 10 states. Initiatives to promote knowledge of the signs and symptoms of stroke, and the identification of disparities in stroke prevalence, might help to focus clinical and programmatic interventions, such as the Million Hearts 2027 initiative or the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program, to improve prevention and treatment of stroke.

Racial-Ethnic disparities in stroke prevalence among patients with heart failure.

Racial-ethnic disparities exist in the prevalence and outcomes of heart failure (HF) and are presumed to be related to differences in cardiovascular risk factor burden and control. There is little data on stroke disparities among patients with HF or the factors responsible. We hypothesized disparities in stroke prevalence exist among patients with HF in a manner not fully explained by burden of cardiovascular disease. We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2014). Cardiovascular profiles were compared by race/ethnicity. Using survey-weighted models, effect modification of the relationship between HF and stroke by race/ethnicity was examined adjusting for cardiovascular profiles. Of 40,437 participants, 2.5 % had HF. The HF cohort had a greater proportion of White and Black participants (77 % vs 74 % and 15 % vs 12 %, respectively) and fewer participants of Hispanic ethnicity (8 % vs 14 %). Stroke was 8 times more prevalent in HF (19.6 % vs 2.3 %, <0.001). Among individuals with HF, race-ethnic differences were identified in the prevalence and mean values of vascular risk factors but were largely driven by higher rates in Black participants. There was significant interaction between HF and race/ethnicity; HF increased the odds of stroke over 7-fold in participants of Hispanic ethnicity (aOR: 7.84; 95 % CI: 4.11-15.0) but to a lesser extent in Black and White participants (Black aOR: 2.49; 95 % CI: 1.72-3.60; White aOR: 3.36; 95 % CI: 2.57-4.40). People of Hispanic ethnicity with HF have a disproportionately higher risk of stroke in a manner not fully explained by differences in vascular risk profiles.

Stroke Screening Process for Spanish-Speaking Patients.

INTRODUCTION: The Balance Eyes Face Arms Speech Time stroke screening tool may have limitations for Spanish-speaking individuals. The purpose of this study is to identify potential screen failure events during evaluation for intervenable acute ischemic stroke events among Spanish-speaking patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective, observational, single-center study at an urban academic center during 2020. Patients with a positive stroke screen were stratified by Spanish or non-Spanish. We measured last known well, sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value of the emergency department provider's decision to escalate to complete stroke evaluation with acute ischemic stroke as the outcome of interest. RESULTS: Among 796 patients (mean age of 52 years, 56% female, 37% Spanish speaking), 30% of patients with positive stroke screen were converted to complete stroke evaluation. For provider escalation to complete stroke evaluation for the outcome of acute ischemic stroke events, prevalence was 13%, sensitivity 81%, positive predictive value 22%, and negative predictive value 97% for the overall sample. Spanish-speaking patients were less likely to progress from screening to complete stroke evaluation (25.8% vs 32.8%; 95% for difference CI, 0.57-13.5). Importantly, there was no difference in rate of acute ischemic stroke between Spanish- and non-Spanish-speaking patients. DISCUSSION: Over 1 year, with 796 patients triggered at triage by Balance Eyes Face Arms Speech Time for positive stroke screens, only 13% resulted in an acute ischemic stroke. Spanish-speaking patients were less likely to progress from screening to complete stroke evaluation, but the rate of acute ischemic stroke was not different by language.

Factor VIII and Incident Hypertension in Black and White Adults: The REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Nearly half of all Americans have hypertension, and Black adults experience a disproportionate burden. Hypercoagulability may relate to hypertension risk, and higher levels of factor VIII increase thrombosis risk. Black adults have higher factor VIII and more hypertension than other groups. Whether higher factor VIII associates with incident hypertension is unknown. METHODS: The Biomarkers as Mediators of Racial Disparities in Risk Factors (BioMedioR) study measured certain biomarkers in a sex-race stratified sample of 4,400 REGARDS participants who attended both visits. We included BioMedioR participants, excluding those with prevalent hypertension, missing factor VIII level, or covariates of interest. Modified Poisson regression estimated risk ratios (RR) for incident hypertension by higher log-transformed factor VIII level per SD (SD of log-transformed factor VIII, 0.33). Weighting was applied to take advantage of REGARDS sampling design. RESULTS: Among the 1,814 participants included (55% female, 24% Black race), the median follow-up was 9.5 years and 35% (2,146/6,138) developed hypertension. Black participants had a higher median (IQR) factor VIII level (105.6%; 87.1%-126.9%) than White participants (95.6%; 79.8%-115.9%; P < 0.001). The age- and sex-adjusted Black-White hypertension RR was 1.45 (95% CI 1.28, 1.63). Higher factor VIII was not associated with more hypertension (final model RR 1.01; 95% CI 0.94, 1.07). CONCLUSIONS: In a prospective study of Black and White adults without prevalent hypertension, factor VIII was not associated with greater hypertension risk.

Subclinical vascular composites predict clinical cardiovascular disease, stroke, and dementia: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) measures may reflect biological pathways that contribute to increased risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) events, stroke, and dementia beyond conventional risk scores. METHODS: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) followed 6814 participants (45-84 years of age) from baseline in 2000-2002 to 2018 over 6 clinical examinations and annual follow-up interviews. MESA baseline subclinical CVD procedures included: seated and supineblood pressure, coronary calcium scan, radial artery tonometry, and carotid ultrasound. Baseline subclinical CVD measures were transformed into z-scores before factor analysis to derive composite factor scores. Time to clinical event for all-cause CVD, CHD, stroke and ICD code-based dementia events were modeled using Cox proportional hazards models reported as area under the curve (AUC) with 95% Confidence Intervals (95%CI) at 10 and 15 years of follow-up. All models included all factor scores together, and adjustment for conventional risk scores for global CVD, stroke, and dementia. RESULTS: After factor selection, 24 subclinical measures aggregated into four distinct factors representing: blood pressure, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, and cardiac factors. Each factor significantly predicted time to CVD events and dementia at 10 and 15 years independent of each other and conventional risk scores. Subclinical vascular composites of atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis best predicted time to clinical events of CVD, CHD, stroke, and dementia. These results were consistent across sex and racial and ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical vascular composites of atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis may be useful biomarkers to inform the vascular pathways contributing to events of CVD, CHD, stroke, and dementia.

Trends in American Indian/Alaskan native self-reported stroke prevalence and associated modifiable risk factors in the United States from 2011-2021.

BACKGROUND: Stroke prevalence varies by race/ethnicity, as do the risk factors that elevate the risk of stroke. Prior analyses have suggested that American Indian/Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) have higher rates of stroke and vascular risk factors. METHODS: We included biyearly data from the 2011-2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys of adults (age ≥18) in the United States. We describe survey-weighted prevalence of stroke per self-report by race and ethnicity. In patients with self-reported stroke (SRS), we also describe the prevalence of modifiable vascular risk factors. RESULTS: The weighted number of U.S. participants represented in BRFSS surveys increased from 237,486,646 in 2011 to 245,350,089 in 2021. SRS prevalence increased from 2.9% in 2011 to 3.3% in 2021 (p<0.001). Amongst all race/ethnicity groups, the prevalence of stroke was highest in AI/AN at 5.4% and 5.6% in 2011 and 2021, compared to 3.0% and 3.4% for White adults (p<0.001). AI/AN with SRS were also the most likely to have four or more vascular risk factors in both 2011 and 2021 at 23.9% and 26.4% compared to 18.2% and 19.6% in White adults (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: From 2011-2021 in the United States, AI/AN consistently had the highest prevalence of self-reported stroke and highest overall burden of modifiable vascular risk factors. This persistent health disparity leaves AI/AN more susceptible to both incident and recurrent stroke.

Comparison of performances of SIREN or MFSRS in stroke risk prediction in an African environment.

BACKGROUND: The Modified Framingham Stroke Risk Score (MFSRS) is a widely utilized stroke risk assessment algorithm usually applied in international comparison. The Stroke Investigative Research and Educational Network (SIREN) is the only known African-specific stroke risk assessment algorithm. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To compare stroke risk estimates from the SIREN and the MFSRS in an African community. METHODS: This was a population-based cross-sectional survey involving consecutively recruited 310 consenting adult residents (mean age = 37.21 ± 15.84 years) of a Nigerian community. Risk factors of stroke were assessed among the participants and were utilized in calculating stroke risk estimates on the MFSRS and the SIREN. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Spearman-rank order correlation test at an alpha level of 0.05. RESULTS: The percentage stroke risk scores estimated by the SIREN and the MFSRS were 34.5% and 6.79% respectively. The most prevalent risk factors among the participants were hypertriglyceridemia (100.0%), raised waist-hip ratio (50.6%), hypercholesterolemia (45.5), physical inactivity (43.2%), psychological stress (41.3%), and hypertension (37.7%). Only two (hypertriglyceridemia and high blood pressure) out of the six factors considered in the MFSRS were rated among the first 10 most impactful risks by the SIREN. There was a weak correlation between the total scores on the MFSRS and the SIREN (rho = 0.39; p < 0.01) suggesting that the two ratings were discordant. CONCLUSION: There were disagreements between the risk estimates on the SIREN and MFSRS with SIREN having a higher estimate that corresponded with the literature; this may be suggesting a poorer estimation of stroke risks by the MFSRS in an African environment. There is a need for large African-based quality control studies to determine and address these lapses.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lessons From Developing Stroke Education Programs for West Michigan Asian Communities.

BACKGROUND: Asians in the United States, facing health care disparities, have increased stroke risk. Multiple subgroups, with distinct cultures and languages, add complexity to caring for Asian American (AsA) communities. We developed a tailored stroke education program for underserved West Michigan AsA communities. Methodology, lessons learned, and diversity, equity, and inclusion insights are described. METHODS: Neurology residents and faculty, in collaboration with trained community-specific navigators, developed culturally resonant stroke education that was tailored to meet the needs of specific self-identified West Michigan AsA communities. Educational and debriefing sessions were delivered over 6 months, following the Plan-Do-Study-Act model, to elucidate diversity, equity, and inclusion insights and improve materials and delivery methods. RESULTS: Eighty-six non-English-speaking participants from 5 self-identified AsA communities (Burmese, Buddhist Vietnamese, Catholic Vietnamese, Chinese, and Nepali) attended educational stroke sessions. The average age of attendees was 57.6±13.2 years; most were females (70%). Diversity, equity, and inclusion insights included identification of Asian cultural beliefs about acute stroke treatment (eg, bloodletting), investigator insights (eg, need for kitchen-table programs), systemic barriers (eg, language), and mitigation strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Institutions should consider the integration of equity-focused, trainee-influenced quality improvement projects, such as this culturally resonant stroke educational program for AsA, to enhance stroke care in these vulnerable communities.

Facility-Level Variation in Racial Disparities in Anticoagulation for Atrial Fibrillation: The REACH-AF Study.

BACKGROUND: Oral anticoagulation reduces stroke risk for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Prior research demonstrates lower anticoagulant prescribing in Black than in White individuals but few studies have examined racial differences in facility-level anticoagulant prescribing for AF. OBJECTIVE: To assess variation in anticoagulant initiation by race within Veterans Health Administration (VA) facilities. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Black and White patients enrolled in the VA with incident AF from 2020 through 2021. MAIN MEASURES: The primary outcome was rate of any anticoagulant initiation (i.e., warfarin or direct oral anticoagulant [DOAC]) or any DOAC therapy within 90 days of an AF diagnosis, overall and for Black and White patients at each facility. We also estimated the adjusted Black-White risk difference. KEY RESULTS: In 82 VA facilities serving 26,832 Black and White patients, overall unadjusted rates of any anticoagulant therapy ranged from 56.8 to 87.1% across facilities; the corresponding ranges for Black and White patients were 47.6 to 91.3% and 58.2 to 87.1%, respectively. Overall unadjusted rates of DOAC therapy ranged from 55.1 to 85.5% by facility; ranges for Black and White patients were 42.8 to 86.9% and 56.4 to 85.5%, respectively. The adjusted risk difference between Black and White patients ranged from - 29.9 (95% CI, - 54.9 to - 4.8) to 14.2 (95% CI, - 9.1 to 25.0) across facilities for any anticoagulant therapy and from - 28.8 (95% CI, - 58.3 to 0.8) to 15.0 (95% CI, - 8.0 to 38.1) for DOAC therapy. For any anticoagulant therapy there were 3 facilities where prescribing was statistically higher in White than Black patients; for DOAC therapy there were 5 such facilities. CONCLUSIONS: In a national cohort of patients with AF, we observed large facility-level variation and adjusted risk differences in any anticoagulant and DOAC initiation, overall and by race. These findings represent a target for local quality improvement in AF care.

Incidence of Stroke in Indigenous Populations of Countries With a Very High Human Development Index: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular disease contributes significantly to disease burden among many Indigenous populations. However, data on stroke incidence in Indigenous populations are sparse. We aimed to investigate what is known of stroke incidence in Indigenous populations of countries with a very high Human Development Index (HDI), locating the research in the broader context of Indigenous health. METHODS: We identified population-based stroke incidence studies published between 1990 and 2022 among Indigenous adult populations of developed countries using PubMed, Embase, and Global Health databases, without language restriction. We excluded non-peer-reviewed sources, studies with fewer than 10 Indigenous people, or not covering a 35- to 64-year minimum age range. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full-text articles and extracted data. We assessed quality using "gold standard" criteria for population-based stroke incidence studies, the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for risk of bias, and CONSIDER criteria for reporting of Indigenous health research. An Indigenous Advisory Board provided oversight for the study. RESULTS: From 13,041 publications screened, 24 studies (19 full-text articles, 5 abstracts) from 7 countries met the inclusion criteria. Age-standardized stroke incidence rate ratios were greater in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (1.7-3.2), American Indians (1.2), Sámi of Sweden/Norway (1.08-2.14), and Singaporean Malay (1.7-1.9), compared with respective non-Indigenous populations. Studies had substantial heterogeneity in design and risk of bias. Attack rates, male-female rate ratios, and time trends are reported where available. Few investigators reported Indigenous stakeholder involvement, with few studies meeting any of the CONSIDER criteria for research among Indigenous populations. DISCUSSION: In countries with a very high HDI, there are notable, albeit varying, disparities in stroke incidence between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations, although there are gaps in data availability and quality. A greater understanding of stroke incidence is imperative for informing effective societal responses to socioeconomic and health disparities in these populations. Future studies into stroke incidence in Indigenous populations should be designed and conducted with Indigenous oversight and governance to facilitate improved outcomes and capacity building. REGISTRATION INFORMATION: PROSPERO registration: CRD42021242367.

Mexican Americans agree to participate in longitudinal clinical research more than non-Hispanic whites.

BACKGROUND: The National Institutes of Health has advocated for improved minority participation in clinical research, including clinical trials and observational epidemiologic studies since 1993. An understanding of Mexican Americans (MAs) participation in clinical research is important for tailoring recruitment strategies and enrollment techniques for MAs. However, contemporary data on MA participation in observational clinical stroke studies are rare. We examined differences between Mexican Americans (MAs) and non-Hispanic whites (NHWs) participation in a population-based stroke study. METHODS: We included 3,594 first ever stroke patients (57.7% MAs, 48.7% women, median [IQR] age 68 [58-79]) from the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi Project, 2009-2020 in Texas, USA, who were approached and invited to participate in a structured baseline interview. We defined participation as completing a baseline interview by patient or proxy. We used log-binomial models adjusting for prespecified potential confounders to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) of participation comparing MAs with NHWs. We tested interactions of ethnicity with age or sex to examine potential effect modification in the ethnic differences in participation. We also included an interaction between year and ethnicity to examine ethnic-specific temporal trends in participation. RESULTS: Baseline participation was 77.0% in MAs and 64.2% in NHWs (Prevalence Ratio [PR] 1.20; 95% CI, 1.14-1.25). The ethnic difference remained after multivariable adjustment (1.17; 1.12-1.23), with no evidence of significant effect modification by age or sex (Pinteraction by age = 0.68, Pinteraction by sex = 0.83). Participation increased over time for both ethnic groups (Ptrend < 0.0001), but the differences in participation between MAs and NHWs remained significantly different throughout the 11-year time period. CONCLUSION: MAs were persistently more likely to participate in a population-based stroke study in a predominantly MA community despite limited outreach efforts towards MAs during study enrollment. This finding holds hope for future research studies to be inclusive of the MA population.

Neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage measures in rehabilitation clinical trials: Lessons learned in recruitment.

PURPOSE: The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) measures the relative disadvantage of an individual or social network using US Census indicators. Although a strong re-hospitalization predictor, ADI has not been routinely incorporated into rehabilitation research. The purposes of this paper are to examine the use of ADI related to study recruitment, association with carepartner psychosocial factors, and recruitment strategies to increase participant diversity. METHODS: Descriptive analysis of baseline data from a pilot stroke carepartner-integrated therapy trial. Participants were 32 carepartners (N = 32; 62.5 % female; mean age 57.8 ± 13.0 years) and stroke survivors (mean age (60.6 ± 14.2) residing in an urban setting. Measures included ADI, Bakas Caregiver Outcome Scale, Caregiver Strain Index, and Family Assessment Device. RESULTS: Most carepartners were Non-Hispanic White participants (61.3 %), part or fully employed (43 %), with >$50,000 (67.7 %) income, and all had some college education. Most stroke survivors were Non-Hispanic White participants (56.3 %) with some college (81.3 %). Median ADI state deciles were 3.0 (interquartile range 1.5-5, range 1-9), and mean national percentiles were 41.7 ± 23.5 with only 6.3 % of participants from the most disadvantaged neighborhoods. For the more disadvantaged half of the state deciles, the majority were Black or Asian participants. No ADI and carepartner factors were statistically related. CONCLUSIONS: The use of ADI data highlighted a recruitment gap in this stroke study, lacking the inclusivity of participants from disadvantaged neighborhoods and with lower education. Using social determinants of health indicators to identify underrepresented neighborhoods may inform recruitment methods to target marginalized populations and broaden the generalizability of clinical trials.

Disparities in transitions of acute stroke care: The transitions of care stroke disparities study methodological report.

OBJECTIVE: The Transitions of Stroke Care Disparities Study (TCSD-S) is an observational study designed to determine race-ethnic and sex disparities in post-hospital discharge transitions of stroke care and stroke outcomes and to develop hospital-level initiatives to reduce these disparities to improve stroke outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here, we present the study rationale, describe the methodology, report preliminary outcomes, and discuss a critical need for the development, implementation, and dissemination of interventions for successful post-hospital transition of stroke care. The preliminary outcomes describe the demographic, stroke risk factor, socioeconomic, and acute care characteristics of eligible participants by race-ethnicity and sex. We also report on all-cause and vascular-related death, readmissions, and hospital/emergency room representations at 30- and 90-days after hospital discharge. RESULTS: The preliminary sample included data from 1048 ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage discharged from 10 comprehensive stroke centers across the state of Florida. The overall sample was 45% female, 22% Non-Hispanic Black and 21% Hispanic participants, with an average age of 64 ± 14 years. All cause death, readmissions, or hospital/emergency room representations are 10% and 19% at 30 and 90 days, respectively. One in 5 outcomes was vascular-related. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the transition from stroke hospitalization as an area in need for considerable improvement in systems of care for stroke patients discharged from hospital. Results from our preliminary analysis highlight the importance of investigating race-ethnic and sex differences in post-stroke outcomes.

Incidence of Stroke in the Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Populations of Australia: A Data Linkage Study.

BACKGROUND: Most estimates of stroke incidence among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereinafter Aboriginal) Australians are confined to single regions and include small sample sizes. We aimed to measure and compare stroke incidence in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal residents across central and western Australia. METHODS: Whole-population multijurisdictional person-linked data from hospital and death datasets were used to identify stroke admissions and stroke-related deaths (2001-2015) in Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory. Fatal (including out-of-hospital deaths) and nonfatal incident (first-ever) strokes in patients aged 20-84 years were identified during the 4-year study period (2012-2015), using a 10-year lookback period to exclude people with prior stroke. Incidence rates per 100 000 population/year were estimated for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations, age-standardized to the World Health Organization World Standard population. RESULTS: In a population of 3 223 711 people (3.7% Aboriginal), 11 740 incident (first-ever) strokes (20.6% regional/remote location of residence; 15.6% fatal) were identified from 2012 to 2015, 675 (5.7%) in Aboriginal people (73.6% regional/remote; 17.0% fatal). Median age of Aboriginal cases (54.5 years; 50.1% female) was 16 years younger than non-Aboriginal cases (70.3 years; 44.1% female; P<0.001), with significantly greater prevalence of comorbidities. Age-standardized stroke incidence in Aboriginal people (192/100 000 [95% CI, 177-208]) was 2.9-fold greater than in non-Aboriginal people (66/100 000 [95% CI, 65-68]) aged 20-84 years; fatal incidence was 4.2-fold greater (38/100 000 [95% CI, 31-46] versus 9/100 000 [95% CI, 9-10]). Disparities were particularly apparent at younger ages (20-54 years), where age-standardized stroke incidence was 4.3-fold greater in Aboriginal people (90/100 000 [95% CI, 81-100]) than non-Aboriginal people (21/100 000 [95% CI, 20-22]). CONCLUSIONS: Stroke occurred more commonly, and at younger ages, in Aboriginal than non-Aboriginal populations. Greater prevalence of baseline comorbidities was present in the younger Aboriginal population. Improved primary prevention is required. To optimize stroke prevention, interventions should include culturally appropriate community-based health promotion and integrated support for nonmetropolitan health services.