Impact of Rurality and Geographical Accessibility on Stroke Care and Outcomes

Providing equitable health care to rural stroke patients is challenging and associated with less intervention and poorer outcomes. We assessed how several distinct patient-related geographic classifications influenced stroke care and outcomes in Scotland, United Kingdom.

We conducted a population-level data-linkage study of ischemic stroke patients admitted to the hospital (2010-2018). Geographic classifications included 2 binary (urban versus rural; accessible versus remote) and 1 six-category classification encompassing both rurality and accessibility (large urban areas, other urban areas, accessible small towns, remote small towns, accessible rural areas, and remote rural areas). Process outcomes included achievement of a stroke care bundle and thrombolysis administration. Clinical outcomes included 30-day discharge from hospital care, 90-day home time, inpatient and 1-year all-cause mortality.

We included 42 917 ischemic stroke patients (35 766 urban and 7151 rural). Binary classifications of rurality or accessibility missed important differences in stroke care and outcomes revealed using 6-category classification. Using the latter, compared with large urban areas, patients in accessible rural areas were more likely to receive a complete stroke care bundle (adjusted odds ratio, 1.21 [95% CI, 1.12-1.31]); patients in remote rural areas were less likely (adjusted odds ratio, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.78-0.93]). Compared with large urban areas, 30-day discharge from hospital care was more likely for patients residing elsewhere (eg, remote rural areas adjusted subdistribution hazards ratio, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.05-1.17]); home time within 90 days was higher for other urban areas (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 1.05 [95% CI, 1.03-1.07]) and accessible rural areas (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 1.03 [95% CI, 1.01-1.06]); and 1-year mortality was less likely in other urban areas (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.88-0.98]) and remote small towns (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.80-0.99]).

When considering geographic disparities in stroke care and outcomes across Scotland, it is important to account for both home location and accessibility of care. Despite patients residing in remote rural areas being less likely to achieve a complete stroke care bundle, this did not translate into poorer outcomes.