New research shows disparities between racial/ethnic minorities and whites cross all aspects of stroke care, according to an American Heart Association/American Stroke Association scientific statement.
The group set out to study the role of race and ethnicity in stroke care and the affect it can have on people who have a stroke.
Research highlights include:
- Disparities based on race and ethnic origin exist in every aspect of stroke care.
- Minority groups represent at least 28 percent of the U.S. population, and the percent is expected to nearly double by the year 2050 – increasing the need to close healthcare gaps.
- Education can significantly improve stroke care for minority groups. Programs to reach young minorities can help raise awareness that stroke is preventable and treatable.
“We see disparities in every aspect of stroke care, from lack of awareness of stroke risk factors and symptoms to delayed arrival to the emergency room and increased waiting time,” said Salvador Cruz-Flores, M.D., M.P.H., lead author of the statement and professor of neurology and director of the Souers Stroke Institute at St. Louis University in Missouri. “These disparities continue throughout the spectrum of the delivery of care from acute treatment to rehabilitation.”
Researchers made several suggestions to fix this problem including development of public health policies to close the gap between minorities and whites, more education, and more research on American Indians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
“It is important for members of ethnic and racial minority groups to understand they are particularly predisposed to have risk factors for heart disease and stroke,” Cruz-Flores said. “They need to understand these diseases are preventable and treatable.”
The information was published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
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