title: Prevalence of stroke in three semi-urban communities in middle-belt region of Nigeria: a door to door survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The burden of stroke has been projected to increase for developing countries, but data are limited, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. This necessitated this study to determine the stroke prevalence in a semi urban community in middle-belt region of Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  A two-phase door-to-door study was performed in three semi-urban communities of Kwara state; in the first phase 12,992 residents were screened and probable stroke cases were identified by trained health care workers. In the second phase individuals adjudged to be positive for stroke were screened with a stroke-specific questionnaire and made to undergo a complete neurological examination by a neurologist. Stroke diagnosis was based on clinical evaluation using WHO criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the numbers that were screened, 18 probable stroke cases were identified in the first stage, and of these, 17 fulfilled WHO criteria for stroke, giving a crude prevalence rate of 1.31/1000 population. The prevalence of stroke was higher among the males than the females (1.54/1000 vs. 1.08/1000) with a ratio 1.4: 1. Sixteen subjects (94.1%) had one or more risk factors for stroke. Uncontrolled systemic hypertension (82.4%) was the commonest risk factors for stroke followed by transient ischaemic attack (TIA) (41.2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stroke is a condition that is prevalent in our environment; especially in older adults and men. Uncontrolled systemic hypertension and previous transient ischaemic attacks were the commonest risk factors for stroke in our community.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Emmanuel Olatunde
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Sanya
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olufemi Olumuyiwa
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Desalu
authors.affiliation: Departments of Ophthalmology, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Feyiyemi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Adepoju
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Sunday Adedeji
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Aderibigbe
authors.affiliation: Departments of Hematology, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Akeem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shittu
authors.affiliation: Departments of Chemical Pathology, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olabode
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Olaosebikan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Nigeria; Stroke; crude-prevalence; epidemiology; semi-urban communities