STROKE SURVEILLANCE IN A BIETHNIC COMMUNITY

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DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from the Investigator's Abstract) Various factors influence stroke incidence and mortality. Ethnic characteristics may be important, both from a genetic and from an environmental standpoint. It is unclear precisely what the stroke incidence and mortality characteristics of the Hispanic-American population may be. There is some suggestion that these may be less than in other groups although the high incidence of diabetes and other stroke risk factors might suggest otherwise. Confounders include the use of vital statistics and inter-ethnic differences expressed within a heterogeneous group. Hispanic Americans are the fastest growing minority population within the United States; of this group, Mexican Americans form the largest segment. This project will use a combination of active and passive surveillance methods to ascertain all cases of stroke presenting to one of six acute care hospitals in Corpus Christi TX, or at one of the 12 nursing homes in the community. Potential etiological variables explaining ethnic differences in stroke attack rates will also be considered. In addition, stroke risk factors, access to care and acculturation characteristics will be examined.