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Published on: May 22, 2019
Racial/ethnic differences in stroke mortality in veterans.
Charles Ellis1, Yumin Zhao, Leonard E Egede
1Department of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina; Charleston VA REAP, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center (CE, LEE), Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA. ellisc@musc.edu
Ethnicity & Disease
|June 20, 2009
Summary
Black veterans experienced higher stroke mortality compared to White veterans. This study highlights racial disparities in stroke outcomes among veterans in the southeastern United States.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability.
- Racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes are well-documented.
- Understanding these disparities in veteran populations is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate racial-ethnic differences in all-cause mortality following stroke.
- To analyze stroke mortality rates among non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and other ethnicity veterans.
- To identify factors contributing to mortality disparities in a southeastern US veteran cohort.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a cohort of 4115 veterans diagnosed with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.
- Inclusion of veterans from Veterans Affairs facilities in Charleston, SC (2000-2006).
- Use of Cox proportional hazards regression to compare survival times by race/ethnicity, adjusting for covariates.
Main Results:
- Over 38 months, 1232 (30%) veterans died.
- Unadjusted: Black veterans had ~20% higher mortality; Other ethnicities had ~20% lower mortality than White veterans.
- Adjusted: White-Black disparity increased; White-Other disparity attenuated. Age, comorbidities (CHD, cancer, Charlson index >2) increased mortality risk.
Conclusions:
- Non-Hispanic Black veterans with stroke faced significantly higher mortality.
- These disparities persisted even after adjusting for clinical covariates.
- Findings underscore the need for targeted strategies to address racial inequities in stroke care for veterans.
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