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(Stroke. 2004;35:1568.)
© 2004 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Contributions

Ethnic Disparities in Risk Factors for Stroke

What Are the Implications?

Clinical Trials Research Unit, Department of Medicine & School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Correspondence to Associate Professor Valery Feigin, Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. E-mail v.feigin@ctru.auckland.ac.nz

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

In the current issue of Stroke, 2 studies report ethnic differences in stroke prevalence and risk factor prevalence and impact. Although it has been suggested that environmental-gene, socioeconomic, and behavioral interplays underlie ethnic disparities in cardiovascular risk factor profiles,^1–7 reasons for observed ethnic differences in stroke incidence and mortality rates^8–10 are not fully understood and little is known about ethnic disparities in stroke risk factors.

In a prevalence study in the USA,¹¹ Henraya McGruder and colleagues analyzed racial and ethnic differences in the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among stroke survivors based on the 3 recent national household-based interview surveys. The study demonstrated substantial racial/ethnic differences in cardiovascular risk behaviors and medical history among stroke survivors. The study was focused mainly on risk factors, showing that blacks and Hispanics have a higher prevalence of obesity and are more likely to report diabetes, inadequate levels of physical activity, and hypertension (commonly blacks), and are less likely to report coronary heart disease than whites. However, the study also included important data on racial/ethnic differences in stroke prevalence, with the rates being almost 1.5 times higher in blacks compared to whites or Hispanics.

In a population-based case–control study in the UK,¹² Cother Hajat and colleagues estimated population attributable and relative risks of ischemic stroke for 3 ethnic populations of South London: black African, black Caribbean, and white. The major strengths of this case–control study were population-based design, adjustment of risks for socioeconomic status (known to be associated with both ethnicity and risk . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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