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StrokeSense : Understanding StrokeThe Race Factor
African Americans suffer stroke at nearly double the rate of white Americans, and they are twice as likely to die of a stroke as whites. Although whites die of stroke at the same rate as African Americans after age 55, African Americans between the ages of 45 and 55 have four to five times the stroke death rate of whites. According to researchers, possible reasons for the racial disparity in stroke death rates include genetics (including inheritance of diabetes or sickle-cell anemia), smoking habits, high blood pressure, and ethnic diets (which may be high in saturated fat). Researchers also point to social isolation and limited mobility as part of the problem in getting immediate medical care after a stroke to prevent death. ReferenceFacts About African Americans, Heart Disease, and Stroke, American Heart Association, 2002. Source of Material: RockHill Communications,
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