A Comparison of Hemorrhagic and Ischemic Strokes Among Blacks and Whites: A Population-Based Study in Cincinnati, Ohio

For calendar years 1993-94, 1999, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 we will or have identified every hospitalized or autopsied stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) at all regional hospitals in our region. We will also estimate the number of non-hospitalized strokes and TIAs by screening for potential cases at more than 100 outpatient sites throughout five counties in Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky. We plan to identify and abstract detailed information from the medical record for every potential case. These results will be compared with data from all stroke patients identified by similar methodology in all study periods.

In addition, we have interviewed 1500 ischemic stroke patients and/or their families in the study periods 1999-2010 to obtain detailed information including demographic information, functional outcome and quality of life, access to and type of rehabilitation therapy, social support, caregiver availability and health status, access to post-hospital care, health insurance status, current health status, medications, prior risk factors, and knowledge about stroke signs and symptoms. We also obtained genetic material via a blood sample for most of this cohort.