Burden of Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke Across the US From 1990 to 2019.

Importance: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the US. Accurate and updated measures of stroke burden are needed to guide public health policies. Objective: To present burden estimates of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in the US in 2019 and describe trends from 1990 to 2019 by age, sex, and geographic location. Design, Setting, and Participants: An in-depth cross-sectional analysis of the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study was conducted. The setting included the time period of 1990 to 2019 in the US. The study encompassed estimates for various types of strokes, including all strokes, ischemic strokes, intracerebral hemorrhages (ICHs), and subarachnoid hemorrhages (SAHs). The 2019 Global Burden of Disease results were released on October 20, 2020. Exposures: In this study, no particular exposure was specifically targeted. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary focus of this analysis centered on both overall and age-standardized estimates, stroke incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALYs per 100 000 individuals. Results: In 2019, the US recorded 7.09 million prevalent strokes (4.07 million women [57.4%]; 3.02 million men [42.6%]), with 5.87 million being ischemic strokes (82.7%). Prevalence also included 0.66 million ICHs and 0.85 million SAHs. Although the absolute numbers of stroke cases, mortality, and DALYs surged from 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized rates either declined or remained steady. Notably, hemorrhagic strokes manifested a substantial increase, especially in mortality, compared with ischemic strokes (incidence of ischemic stroke increased by 13% [95% uncertainty interval (UI), 14.2%-11.9%]; incidence of ICH increased by 39.8% [95% UI, 38.9%-39.7%]; incidence of SAH increased by 50.9% [95% UI, 49.2%-52.6%]). The downturn in stroke mortality plateaued in the recent decade. There was a discernible heterogeneity in stroke burden trends, with older adults (50-74 years) experiencing a decrease in incidence in coastal areas (decreases up to 3.9% in Vermont), in contrast to an uptick observed in younger demographics (15-49 years) in the South and Midwest US (with increases up to 8.4% in Minnesota). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study, the declining age-standardized stroke rates over the past 3 decades suggest progress in managing stroke-related outcomes. However, the increasing absolute burden of stroke, coupled with a notable rise in hemorrhagic stroke, suggests an evolving and substantial public health challenge in the US. Moreover, the significant disparities in stroke burden trends across different age groups and geographic locations underscore the necessity for region- and demography-specific interventions and policies to effectively mitigate the multifaceted and escalating burden of stroke in the country.

National plans and awareness campaigns as priorities for achieving global brain health.

Neurological conditions are the leading cause of death and disability combined. This public health crisis has become a global priority with the introduction of WHO's Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders 2022-2031 (IGAP). 18 months after this plan was adopted, global neurology stakeholders, including representatives of the OneNeurology Partnership (a consortium uniting global neurology organisations), take stock and advocate for urgent acceleration of IGAP implementation. Drawing on lessons from relevant global health contexts, this Health Policy identifies two priority IGAP targets to expedite national delivery of the entire 10-year plan: namely, to update national policies and plans, and to create awareness campaigns and advocacy programmes for neurological conditions and brain health. To ensure rapid attainment of the identified priority targets, six strategic drivers are proposed: universal community awareness, integrated neurology approaches, intersectoral governance, regionally coordinated IGAP domestication, lived experience-informed policy making, and neurological mainstreaming (advocating to embed brain health into broader policy agendas). Contextualised with globally emerging IGAP-directed efforts and key considerations for intersectoral policy design, this novel framework provides actionable recommendations for policy makers and IGAP implementation partners. Timely, synergistic pursuit of the six drivers might aid WHO member states in cultivating public awareness and policy structures required for successful intersectoral roll-out of IGAP by 2031, paving the way towards brain health for all.

Assessing the individual risk of stroke in caregivers of patients with stroke.

BACKGROUND: Genetic factors influence the risk of developing stroke. Still, it is unclear whether this risk is intrinsically high in certain people or if nongenetic factors explain it entirely. OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk of stroke in kin and nonkin caregivers. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study using the Stroke Riskometer app (AUT Ventures Limited, Auckland, AUK, New Zealand), we determined the 5- and 10-year stroke risk (SR) among caregivers of stroke inpatients. The degree of kinship was rated with a score ranging from 0 to 50 points. RESULTS: We studied 278 caregivers (69.4% of them female) with a mean age of 47.5 ± 14.2 years. Kin caregivers represented 70.1% of the sample, and 49.6% of them were offspring. The median SR at 5 years was of 2.1 (range: 0.35-17.3) versus 1.73 (range: 0.04-29.9), and of 4.0 (range: 0.45-38.6) versus 2.94 (range: 0.05-59.35) at 10 years for the nonkin and kin caregivers respectively. In linear logistic regression controlled for the age of the caregivers, adding the kinship score did not increase the overall variability of the model for the risk at 5 years (R2 = 0.271; p = 0.858) nor the risk at 10 years (R2 = 0.376; p = 0.78). CONCLUSION: Caregivers of stroke patients carry a high SR regardless of their degree of kinship.

ANTECEDENTES: Los factores genéticos probablemente influyen en el riesgo de desarrollar enfermedad vascular cerebral (EVC), pero no está claro si el riesgo es intrínsecamente alto o si es totalmente explicado por factores modificables. OBJETIVO: Comparar el riesgo de EVC (REVC) en cuidadores pertenecientes y no pertenecientes a la misma familia de pacientes con EVC. MéTODOS: En un estudio transversal que utilizó la aplicación Stroke Riskometer (AUT Ventures Limited, Auckland, AUK, Nueva Zelanda), determinamos el REVC a 5 y 10 años en cuidadores de pacientes hospitalizados por EVC. El grado de parentesco se graduó con un puntaje de 0 a 50 dependiendo de su relación familiar con el paciente. RESULTADOS: Estudiamos a 278 cuidadores (69.4% de ellos mujeres) con edad media de 47.5 ± 14.2 años. Los cuidadores familiares representaron el 70.1% de la muestra, siendo el 49.6% hijos. Las medianas de REVC a 5 años fueron de 2.1 (rango: 0.35­17.3) versus 1.73 (rango: 0.04­29.9), y de 4.0 (rango: 0.45­38.6) versus 2.94 (rango: 0.05­59.35) a 10 años para el grupo de cuidadores familiares y no familiares, respectivamente. En una regresión logística lineal contralando para la edad de los cuidadores, la adición del puntaje de parentesco no incrementó la variabilidad general del modelo para el riesgo a 5 años (R2 = 0.271; p = 0.858) ni para el riesgo a 10 años (R2 = 0.376; p = 0.78). CONCLUSIóN: Los cuidadores de pacientes con EVC tienen un REVC alto, independientemente de su grado de parentesco.

Artificial intelligence in neurology: opportunities, challenges, and policy implications.

Neurological conditions are the leading cause of disability and mortality combined, demanding innovative, scalable, and sustainable solutions. Brain health has become a global priority with adoption of the World Health Organization's Intersectoral Global Action Plan in 2022. Simultaneously, rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are revolutionizing neurological research and practice. This scoping review of 66 original articles explores the value of AI in neurology and brain health, systematizing the landscape for emergent clinical opportunities and future trends across the care trajectory: prevention, risk stratification, early detection, diagnosis, management, and rehabilitation. AI's potential to advance personalized precision neurology and global brain health directives hinges on resolving core challenges across four pillars-models, data, feasibility/equity, and regulation/innovation-through concerted pursuit of targeted recommendations. Paramount actions include swift, ethical, equity-focused integration of novel technologies into clinical workflows, mitigating data-related issues, counteracting digital inequity gaps, and establishing robust governance frameworks balancing safety and innovation.

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.

Burden of Stroke in Europe: An Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study Findings From 2010 to 2019.

BACKGROUND: While most European Regions perform well in global comparisons, large discrepancies within stroke epidemiological parameters exist across Europe. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the stroke burden across European regions and countries in 2019 and its difference to 2010. METHODS: The GBD 2019 analytical tools were used to evaluate regional and country-specific estimates of incidence, prevalence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years of stroke for the European Region as defined by the World Health Organization, with its 53 member countries (EU-53) and for European Union as defined in 2019, with its 28 member countries (EU-28), between 2010 and 2019. Results were analyzed at a regional, subregional, and country level. RESULTS: In EU-53, the absolute number of incident and prevalent strokes increased by 2% (uncertainty interval [UI], 0%-4%), from 1 767 280 to 1 802 559 new cases, and by 4% (UI, 3%-5%) between 2010 and 2019, respectively. In EU-28, the absolute number of prevalent strokes and stroke-related deaths increased by 4% (UI, 2%-5%) and by 6% (UI, 1%-10%), respectively. All-stroke age-standardized mortality rates, however, decreased by 18% (UI, -22% to -14%), from 82 to 67 per 100 000 people in the EU-53, and by 15% (UI, -18% to -11%), from 49.3 to 42.0 per 100 000 people in EU-28. Despite most countries presenting reductions in age-adjusted incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life year rates, these rates remained 1.4×, 1.2×, 1.6×, and 1.7× higher in EU-53 in comparison to the EU-28. CONCLUSIONS: EU-53 showed a 2% increase in incident strokes, while they remained stable in EU-28. Age-standardized rates were consistently lower for all-stroke burden parameters in EU-28 in comparison to EU-53, and huge discrepancies in incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-year rates were observed between individual countries.

Health and Wellness Coaching for 5-Year Projected Cardiovascular Health: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background and Objectives: Evidence of effective multifactorial lifestyle interventions for primary stroke prevention is lacking, despite the significant contribution of lifestyle to stroke burden. We aimed to determine the efficacy of health and wellness coaching (HWC) for primary stroke and cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention in adults at a moderate-to-high CVD risk. Methods: This was a parallel, 2-arm, open-label, single-blinded, phase III randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy of HWC for primary stroke prevention in individuals 30 years and older with a 5-year CVD risk ≥10% as measured by 5-year absolute CVD risk (as measured by the PREDICT tool) at 9 months post-randomization. Eligible participants were those with a 5-year CVD risk ≥10%, with no history of stroke, transient ischemic attack, or myocardial infarction. The relative risk reduction (RRR) and odds ratios (OR) were evaluated separately in those at moderate (10%-14%) 5-year CVD risk and those at high risk (≥15%) at baseline. The Life's Simple 7 (LS7) score for lifestyle-related CVD risk, as the indicator of cardiovascular health, was a key secondary outcome. Results: Of a total of 320 participants, 161 were randomized to the HWC group and 159 to the usual care (UC) group. HWC resulted in a statistically significant RRR of -10.9 (95% CI -21.0 to -0.9) in 5-year CVD risk in the higher CVD risk group but no change in the moderate risk group. An improvement in the total LS7 score was seen in the HWC group compared with the UC group (absolute difference = 0.485, 95% CI [0.073 to 0.897], p = 0.02). Improvement in blood pressure scores was statistically significantly greater in the HWC group than in the UC group for those at high risk of CVD (OR 2.28 [95% CI 1.12 to 4.63] and 1.55 [0.80 to 3.01], respectively). No statistically significant differences in mood scores, medication adherence, quality of life, and satisfaction with life scores over time or between groups were seen. Discussion: Health and wellness coaching resulted in a significant RRR in the 5-year CVD risk compared with UC at 9 months post-randomization in patients with a high baseline CVD risk. There was no improvement in CVD risk in the moderate risk group; hence, this study did not meet the primary hypothesis. However, this treatment effect is clinically significant (number needed to treat was 43). The findings suggest that HWC has potential if further refined to improve lifestyle risk factors of stroke.

Usability and feasibility of PreventS-MD web app for stroke prevention.

BACKGROUND: Most strokes and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are potentially preventable if their risk factors are identified and well controlled. Digital platforms, such as the PreventS-MD web app (PreventS-MD) may aid health care professionals (HCPs) in assessing and managing risk factors and promoting lifestyle changes for their patients. METHODS: This is a mixed-methods cross-sectional two-phase survey using a largely positivist (quantitative and qualitative) framework. During Phase 1, a prototype of PreventS-MD was tested internationally by 59 of 69 consenting HCPs of different backgrounds, age, sex, working experience, and specialties using hypothetical data. Collected comments/suggestions from the study HCPs in Phase 1 were reviewed and implemented. In Phase 2, a near-final version of PreventS-MD was developed and tested by 58 of 72 consenting HCPs using both hypothetical and real patient (n = 10) data. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with real patients (n = 10) were conducted, and 1 month adherence to the preventive recommendations was assessed by self-reporting. The four System Usability Scale (SUS) groups of scores (0-50 unacceptable; 51-68 poor; 68-80.3 good; >80.3 excellent) were used to determine usability of PreventS-MD. FINDINGS: Ninety-nine HCPs from 27 countries (45% from low- to middle-income countries) participated in the study, and out of them, 10 HCPs were involved in the development of PreventS before the study, and therefore were not involved in the survey. Of the remaining 89 HCPs, 69 consented to the first phase of the survey, and 59 of them completed the first phase of the survey (response rate 86%), and 58 completed the second phase of the survey (response rate 84%). The SUS scores supported good usability of the prototype (mean score = 80.2; 95% CI [77.0-84.0]) and excellent usability of the final version of PreventS-MD (mean score = 81.7; 95% CI [79.1-84.3]) in the field. Scores were not affected by the age, sex, working experience, or specialty of the HCPs. One-month follow-up of the patients confirmed the high level of satisfaction/acceptability of PreventS-MD and (100%) adherence to the recommendations. INTERPRETATION: The PreventS-MD web app has a high level of usability, feasibility, and satisfaction by HCPs and individuals at risk of stroke/CVD. Individuals at risk of stroke/CVD demonstrated a high level of confidence and motivation in following and adhering to preventive recommendations generated by PreventS-MD.

Symptoms and Engagement in Anti-social Behavior 10 Years After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Within a Community Civilian Sample: A Prospective Cohort Study With Age-Sex Matched Control Group.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if there are longer-term effects on symptoms, health status, mood, and behavior 10 years after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Community-based, civilian sample. PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged ≥16 years at follow-up who experienced an mTBI 10 years ago, and an age and sex-matched non-injured control group. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: mTBI cases and controls were asked to complete self-report assessments of functioning (WHO Disability Assessment Schedule Version 2), symptoms (Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptom Questionnaire), health status (100-point scale), alcohol (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and substance use (Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test), and whether they had engaged in any anti-social behaviors over the past 12 months. RESULTS: Data were analyzed for 368 participants (184 mTBI cases and 184 age-sex matched controls). Just over a third of mTBI cases (64, 34.8%) reported that they were still affected by their index mTBI 10 years later. After adjusting for education and ethnicity, the mTBI group had statistically higher overall symptom burden (F=22.32, P<.001, ηp2=0.07) compared with controls. This difference remained after excluding those who experienced a recurrent TBI. The mTBI group were more than 3 times as likely to have engaged in anti-social behavior during the previous 12 months (F=5.89, P=.02). There were no group differences in health status, functioning, or problematic alcohol or substance use 10 years post-injury. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence of potential longer-term associations between mTBI, post-concussion symptoms, and anti-social behavior which warrants further evaluation. Future research should also examine if longer-term effects may be preventable with access to early rehabilitation post-injury.

Twenty years on from the introduction of the high risk strategy for stroke and cardiovascular disease prevention: a systematic scoping review.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Early this century, the high risk strategy of primary stroke and cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention for individuals shifted away from identifying (and treating, as appropriate) all at-risk individuals towards identifying and treating individuals who exceed arbitrary thresholds of absolute CVD risk. The public health impact of this strategy is uncertain. METHODS: In our systematic scoping review, the electronic databases (Scopus, MEDLINE, Embase, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library) were searched to identify and appraise publications related to primary CVD/stroke prevention strategies and their effectiveness published in any language from January 1990 to August 2023. RESULTS: No published randomized controlled trial was found on the effectiveness of the high CVD risk strategy for primary stroke/CVD prevention. Targeting high CVD risk individuals excludes a large proportion of the population from effective blood-pressure-lowering and lipid-lowering treatment and effective CVD prevention. There is also evidence that blood pressure lowering and lipid lowering are beneficial irrespective of blood pressure and cholesterol levels and irrespective of absolute CVD risk and that risk-stratified pharmacological management of blood pressure and lipids to only high CVD risk individuals leads to significant underuse of blood-pressure-lowering and lipid-lowering medications in individuals otherwise eligible for such treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Primary stroke and CVD prevention needs to be done in all individuals with increased risk of CVD/stroke. Pharmacological management of blood pressure and blood cholesterol should not be solely based on the high CVD risk treatment thresholds. International guidelines and global strategies for primary CVD/stroke prevention need to be revised.

Global stroke statistics 2023: Availability of reperfusion services around the world.

BACKGROUND: Disparities in the availability of reperfusion services for acute ischemic stroke are considerable globally and require urgent attention. Contemporary data on the availability of reperfusion services in different countries are used to provide the necessary evidence to prioritize where access to acute stroke treatment is needed. AIMS: To provide a snapshot of published literature on the provision of reperfusion services globally, including when facilitated by telemedicine or mobile stroke unit services. METHODS: We searched PubMed to identify original articles, published up to January 2023 for the most recent, representative, and relevant patient-level data for each country. Keywords included thrombolysis, endovascular thrombectomy and telemedicine. We also screened reference lists of review articles, citation history of articles, and the gray literature. The information is provided as a narrative summary. RESULTS: Of 11,222 potentially eligible articles retrieved, 148 were included for review following de-duplications and full-text review. Data were also obtained from national stroke clinical registry reports, Registry of Stroke Care Quality (RES-Q) and PRE-hospital Stroke Treatment Organization (PRESTO) repositories, and other national sources. Overall, we found evidence of the provision of intravenous thrombolysis services in 70 countries (63% high-income countries (HICs)) and endovascular thrombectomy services in 33 countries (68% HICs), corresponding to far less than half of the countries in the world. Recent data (from 2019 or later) were lacking for 35 of 67 countries with known year of data (52%). We found published data on 74 different stroke telemedicine programs (93% in HICs) and 14 active mobile stroke unit pre-hospital ambulance services (80% in HICs) around the world. CONCLUSION: Despite remarkable advancements in reperfusion therapies for stroke, it is evident from available patient-level data that their availability remains unevenly distributed globally. Contemporary published data on availability of reperfusion services remain scarce, even in HICs, thereby making it difficult to reliably ascertain current gaps in the provision of this vital acute stroke treatment around the world.

Proposed solutions to anthropogenic climate change: A systematic literature review and a new way forward.

Humanity is now facing what may be the biggest challenge to its existence: irreversible climate change brought about by human activity. Our planet is in a state of emergency, and we only have a short window of time (7-8 years) to enact meaningful change. The goal of this systematic literature review is to summarize the peer-reviewed literature on proposed solutions to climate change in the last 20 years (2002-2022), and to propose a framework for a unified approach to solving this climate change crisis. Solutions reviewed include a transition toward use of renewable energy resources, reduced energy consumption, rethinking the global transport sector, and nature-based solutions. This review highlights one of the most important but overlooked pieces in the puzzle of solving the climate change problem - the gradual shift to a plant-based diet and global phaseout of factory (industrialized animal) farming, the most damaging and prolific form of animal agriculture. The gradual global phaseout of industrialized animal farming can be achieved by increasingly replacing animal meat and other animal products with plant-based products, ending government subsidies for animal-based meat, dairy, and eggs, and initiating taxes on such products. Failure to act will ultimately result in a scenario of irreversible climate change with widespread famine and disease, global devastation, climate refugees, and warfare. We therefore suggest an "All Life" approach, invoking the interconnectedness of all life forms on our planet. The logistics for achieving this include a global standardization of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) or similar measures and the introduction of a regulatory body for verification of such measures. These approaches will help deliver environmental and sustainability benefits for our planet far beyond an immediate reduction in global warming.

Differing Definitions of First-Ever Stroke Influence Incidence Estimates More than Trends: A Study Using Linked Administrative Data.

INTRODUCTION: Researchers apply varying definitions when measuring stroke incidence using administrative data. We aimed to investigate the sensitivity of incidence estimates to varying definitions of stroke and lookback periods and to provide updated incidence rates and trends for Western Australia (WA). METHODS: We used linked state-wide hospital and death data from 1985 to 2017 to identify incident strokes from 2005 to 2017. A standard definition was applied which included strokes coded as the principal hospital diagnosis or the underlying cause of death, with a 10-year lookback used to clear prevalent cases. Alternative definitions were compared against the standard definition by percentage difference in case numbers. Age-standardised incidence rates were calculated, and age- and sex-adjusted Poisson regression models were used to estimate incidence trends. RESULTS: The standard definition with a 10-year lookback period captured 31,274 incident strokes. Capture increased by 19.3% when including secondary diagnoses, 4.1% when including nontraumatic subdural and extradural haemorrhage, and 8.1% when including associated causes of death. Excluding death records reduced capture by 11.1%. A 20-year lookback reduced over-ascertainment by 2.0%, and a 1-year lookback increased capture by 13.3%. Incidence declined 0.6% annually (95% confidence interval -0.9, -0.3). Annual reductions were similar for most definitions except when death records were excluded (-0.1%, CI: -0.4, 0.2) and with the shortest lookback periods (greatest annual reduction). CONCLUSION: Stroke incidence has declined in WA. Differing methods of identifying stroke influence estimates of incidence to a greater extent than estimates of trends. Reductions in stroke incidence over time are primarily driven by declines in fatal strokes.

The HEARTS partner forum-supporting implementation of HEARTS to treat and control hypertension.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), principally ischemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke, are the leading causes of death (18. 6 million deaths annually) and disability (393 million disability-adjusted life-years lost annually), worldwide. High blood pressure is the most important preventable risk factor for CVD and deaths, worldwide (10.8 million deaths annually). In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) launched the Global Hearts initiative to support governments in their quest to prevent and control CVD. HEARTS is the core technical package of the initiative and takes a public health approach to treating hypertension and other CVD risk factors at the primary health care level. The HEARTS Partner Forum, led by WHO, brings together the following 11 partner organizations: American Heart Association (AHA), Center for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC), International Society of Hypertension (ISH), International Society of Nephrology (ISN), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), US CDC, World Hypertension League (WHL), World Heart Federation (WHF) and World Stroke Organization (WSO). The partners support countries in their implementation of the HEARTS technical package in various ways, including providing technical expertise, catalytic funding, capacity building and evidence generation and dissemination. HEARTS has demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of a public health approach, with more than seven million people already on treatment for hypertension using a simple, algorithmic HEARTS approach. Additionally, HEARTS has demonstrated the feasibility of using hypertension as a pathfinder to universal health coverage and should be a key intervention of all basic benefit packages. The partner forum continues to find ways to expand support and reinvigorate enthusiasm and attention on preventing CVD. Proposed future HEARTS Partner Forum activities are related to more concrete information sharing between partners and among countries, expanded areas of partner synergy, support for implementation, capacity building, and advocacy with country ministries of health, professional societies, academy and civil societies organizations. Advancing toward the shared goals of the HEARTS partners will require a more formal, structured approach to the forum and include goals, targets and published reports. In this way, the HEARTS Partner Forum will mirror successful global partnerships on communicable diseases and assist countries in reducing CVD mortality and achieving global sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Using network analysis to validate domains of the modified telephone interview for cognitive status.

BACKGROUND: The modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-M) is a widely used tool for assessing global cognitive functions and screening for cognitive impairments. The tool was conceptualised to capture various cognitive domains, but the validity of such domains has not been investigated against comprehensive neuropsychological assessments tools. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the associations between the TICS-M domains and neuropsychological domains to evaluate the validity of the TICS-M domains using network analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A longitudinal research design was used with a large sample of older adults (aged above 70 years; n = 1037 at the baseline assessment) who completed the TICS-M and comprehensive neuropsychological assessments biennially. We applied network analysis to identify unique links between the TICS-M domains and neuropsychological test scores. RESULTS: At baseline, there were weak internal links between the TICS-M domains. The TICS-M memory and language domains were significantly related to their corresponding neuropsychological domains. The TICS-M attention domain had significant associations with executive function and visuospatial abilities. The TICS-M orientation domain was not significantly associated with any of the five neuropsychological domains. Despite an attrition of almost 50% at wave four, weak internal links between the TICS-M domains and most associations between TICS-M and neuropsychological domains that were found initially, remained stable at least over two waves within the 6-year period. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the overall structural validity of the TICS-M screener in assessing enduring global cognitive function. However, separate TICS-M cognitive domains should not be considered equivalent to the analogous neuropsychological domains.

Enhancing precision of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-Modified (TICS-M) using the Rasch model.

The Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-modified (TICS-M) is a well-established and widely used screening instrument for dementia and assessment of global cognitive function in older people. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the TICS-M and to enhance the accuracy of the instrument using Rasch methodology. Partial Credit Rasch model was applied to the TICS-M scores. The sample selected for Rasch analysis consisted of 432 participants aged 70-90 years (M = 78.85, SD = 4.73) including 195 males (237 females), and 132 (30.56%) of whom were diagnosed with dementia after the baseline assessment. Initial analysis indicated good reliability of the TICS-M assessment scores, but there were three misfitting items and local dependency issues. Combining locally dependent and misfitting items into super-items achieved the best Rasch model fit for the TICS-M. This modification improved reliability of the assessment scores and resulted in no misfitting items, no local dependency, strict unidimensionality, and invariance across individual factors such as participants age, sex, diagnosis, and in-person neuropsychological assessment scores. Satisfying Rasch model expectations allowed for creation of a transformation table to convert raw TICS-M scores into interval-level data, which improves precision of the instrument. In summary, the TICS-M assessment scores demonstrated excellent reliability as reflected by Person Separation Index (PSI = 0.86) and met expectations of the unidimensional Rasch model after minor adjustments. The ordinal-to-interval transformation table can be used to increase accuracy of the TICS-M without altering its current format. These findings contribute to more accurate assessments of cognitive decline in older people and screening for conditions such as dementia. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).