title: Prevalence and risk factors for stroke in a population of Southern Brazil.
abstract: Stroke is the leading cause of death in many countries of Latin America. Population studies are necessary in this region.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of stroke and its risk factors in a population of vulnerable communities of southern Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based crosssectional study with systematic sampling. Individuals aged 20 and over were included (n=3,391). Individuals with previous diagnosis of stroke or identified by a validate stroke questionnaire were compared with those without stroke in many variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  285 individuals (8.4%) had previous stroke. The group without stroke showed greater average of years of study than the group with stroke (p<0.001). Multivariable analysis identified as risk factors for stroke (p<0.05): age from 40 to 59, age from 60 to 79, widowhood, present smoking, previous smoking, hypertension and ischemic heart disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings in this population indicate the need of preventive cost-effective public health policies in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: 1Graduate Program in Family and Community Medicine, School of Health Management, Moinhos de Vento Hospital, Porto Alegre RS, Brazil. lcopstein@gmail.com
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Copstein
authors.forename: Jefferson Gomes
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Gisele Alsina Nader
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Bastos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult