title: Age, gender and risk factor disparities in first-stroke Jewish and Arab patients in Israel undergoing rehabilitation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known of the risk factor disparities in first stroke among Jewish and Arab patients undergoing rehabilitation in Israel.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the age, gender and risk factor disparities in first stroke among Jewish (immigrant and non-immigrant) and Arab patients undergoing rehabilitation and to compare the prevalence and odds ratio of stroke risk factors in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The database of the Department of Neurological Rehabilitation C at Loewenstein Rehabilitation Center was used to investigate first ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients admitted for hospital rehabilitation over a 15 year period, January 1993 to December 2008. Particular attention was paid to age, gender and risk factor disparities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2000 patients with first stroke who were included in the study were grouped as Jewish (immigrant and non-immigrant) orArab; there were 237 Arabs, 370 non-immigrant Jews and 1393 immigrant Jews. A high percentage of Arab patients were found to have hypertension and diabetes mellitus, while a high percentage of Jewish immigrants had stenosis of the internal carotid artery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study demonstrated some differences in the effect of risk factors between the groups. It may be important to address such differences when developing stroke preventative strategies in this population of Jewish and Arab stroke survivors in Israel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Rehabilitation C, Loewenstein Rehabilitation Center, Raanana, affiliated with Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel. elinag@clalit.org.il
authors.forename: Elina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: Iuly
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Treger
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schwarz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D018912:Arabs / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D007585:Jews / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D055815:Young Adult