title: Epidemiology of stroke in a rural community in Southeastern Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence and incidence of stroke vary from community to community worldwide. Nonetheless, not much is known about the current epidemiology of stroke in rural Nigeria and indeed Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a two-phase door-to-door survey in a rural, predominantly low-income, community in Anambra, Southeastern Nigeria. We used a modified World Health Organization (WHO) protocol for detecting neurological diseases in the first phase, and a stroke-specific questionnaire and neurological examination in the second phase. An equal number of sex- and age-matched stroke-negative subjects were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified ten stroke subjects in the study. The crude prevalence of stroke in rural Nigeria was 1.63 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.78-3.00) per 1,000 population. The crude prevalence of stroke in males was 1.99 (95% CI 0.73-4.33) per 1,000, while that for females was 1.28 (95% CI 0.35-3.28) per 1,000 population. The peak age-specific prevalence of stroke was 12.08 (95% CI 3.92-28.19) per 1,000, while after adjustment to WHO world population, the peak was 1.0 (95% CI 0.33-2.33) per 1,000.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of stroke was found to be higher than previously documented in rural Nigeria, with a slightly higher prevalence in males than females. This is, however, comparable to data from rural Africa.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Kelechi O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Enwereji
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Maduaburochukwu C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Nwosu
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, University College Hospital Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adesola
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogunniyi
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Paul O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Nwani
authors.affiliation: Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Azuoma L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Asomugha
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine/Nursing Sciences, College of Medicine, Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ezinna E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Enwereji
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Africa; developing country; prevalence