Demographic and Regional Trends in Stroke-Related Mortality in Young Adults in the United States, 1999 to 2019

Background Despite improvements in the management and prevention of stroke, increasing hospitalizations for stroke and stagnant mortality rates have been described in young adults. However, there is a paucity of contemporary national mortality estimates in young adults. Methods and Results Trends in mortality related to stroke in young adults (aged 25-64 years) were assessed using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database. Age-adjusted mortality rates per 100 000 people with associated annual percentage change were calculated. Joinpoint regression was used to assess the trends in the overall sample and different demographic (sex, race and ethnicity, and age) and geographical (state, urban-rural, and regional) subgroups. Between 1999 and 2019, a total of 566 916 stroke-related deaths occurred among young adults. After the initial decline in mortality in the overall population, age-adjusted mortality rate increased from 2013 to 2019 with an associated annual percentage change of 1.5 (95% CI, 1.1-2.0). Mortality rates were higher in men versus women and in non-Hispanic Black people versus individuals of other races and ethnicities. Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaskan Native people had a marked increase in stroke-related mortality (annual percentage change 2010-2019: 3.3). Furthermore, rural (nonmetropolitan) counties experienced the greatest increase in mortality (annual percentage change 2012-2019: 3.1) compared with urban (metropolitan) counties. Conclusions Following the initial decline in stroke-related mortality, young adults have experienced increasing mortality rates from 2013 to 2019, with considerable differences across demographic groups and regions.