Racial/ethnic disparities in mortality by stroke subtype in the United States, 1995-1998

Healthy People 2010 objectives for improving health include a goal to elimi nate racial disparities in stroke mortality. Age-specific death rates by st roke subtype are not well documented among racial/ethnic minority populatio ns in the United States. This report examines mortality rates by race/ethni city for three stroke subtypes during 1995-1998. National Vital Statistics' death certificate data were used to calculate death rates for ischemic str oke (n = 507,256), intracerebral hemorrhage (n = 97,709), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (n = 27,334) among Hispanics, Blacks, American Indians/Alaska Na tives, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and Whites by age and sex. Comparisons wit h Whites as the referent were made using age-standardized risk ratios and a ge-specific risk ratios. Age-standardized mortality rates for the three str oke subtypes were higher among Blacks than Whites. Death rates from intrace rebral hemorrhage were also higher among Aslans/Pacific Islanders than Whit es. All minority populations had higher death rates from subarachnoid hemor rhage than did Whites. Among adults aged 25-44 years, Blacks and American I ndians/Alaska Natives had higher risk ratios than did Whites for all three stroke subtypes. Increased public health attention is needed to reduce inci dence and mortality for stroke, the third leading cause of death. Particula r attention should be given to increasing awareness of stroke symptoms amon g young minority groups.