Social Determinants of Health Impact Poststroke Mortality Risk

MONDAY, May 20, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Social determinants of health have a cumulative impact on poststroke mortality, according to a study presented at the the annual European Stroke Organization Conference, held from May 15 to 17 in Basel, Switzerland.

Katharina Stibrant Sunnerhagen, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, and colleagues investigated if there is an association between social determinants of health and stroke mortality. The analysis included data from local and national stroke registries, Statistics Sweden, and the National Patient Registry.

The researchers found that among 6,901 individuals with stroke, a higher education was associated with a 25.7 percent lower risk for death versus primary education, and individuals with high income had a 32.3 percent lower risk for death versus those with low income. Neither living in a deprived area nor country of birth was significantly associated with mortality. There was an association observed between increased mortality and lifestyle factors (physical inactivity, diabetes, and alcohol abuse) and atrial fibrillation. A dose-response relationship was noted, with individuals with one determinant having a 17.5 percent increased risk for mortality and those with two to four determinants having a 24.3 percent increased risk.

“By addressing these disparities, we will not only support the principles of health equity, but also have the potential to significantly enhance public health outcomes,” Stibrant Sunnerhagen said in a statement.

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