Prevalence of stroke in Kinmen

Background and Purpose Stroke is the second most common cause of death in Taiwan. We studied its prevalence, risk factors, and mortality in a rural Chinese population. Methods A door-to-door survey of stroke was conducted in two Kinmen Island townships with a total population of 26 105 people. Our target population (n=5061) consisted of all the registered residents in these townships who were aged greater than or equal to 50 years on August 1, 1993. All participants were given a standardized neurological examination and a questionnaire. Results The participation rate was 77.4% (n=3915). Ninety six cases of completed stroke were identified. Eighty-nine patients had one, 6 patients had two, and 1 patient had three episodes of stroke. The prevalence of stroke in persons aged greater than or equal to 50 years was 24.5 per 1000 (95% confidence interval, 19.7 to 29.3 per 1000). Prevalence increased with age. Statistically significant risk factors associated with stroke included hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and irregular heartbeats. Of the stroke survivors, 59% were independent in activities of daily living and 71% could walk independently. Conclusions Compared with other countries, Taiwan has a moderately high prevalence of stroke. The risk factors for stroke in this rural region of a developing country an similar to those in developed countries. Most stroke survivors here perform their daily activities independently without outside assistance.