title: Where to Focus Efforts to Reduce the Black-White Disparity in Stroke Mortality: Incidence Versus Case Fatality?
abstract: At age 45 years, blacks have a stroke mortality ≈3× greater than their white counterparts, with a declining disparity at older ages. We assess whether this black-white disparity in stroke mortality is attributable to a black-white disparity in stroke incidence versus a disparity in case fatality.
  
  
  
  We first assess if black-white differences in stroke mortality within 29 681 participants in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort reflect national black-white differences in stroke mortality and then assess the degree to which black-white differences in stroke incidence or 30-day case fatality after stroke contribute to the disparities in stroke mortality.
  
  
  
  The pattern of stroke mortality within the study mirrors the national pattern, with the black-to-white hazard ratio of ≈4.0 at age 45 years decreasing to ≈1.0 at age 85 years. The pattern of black-to-white disparities in stroke incidence shows a similar pattern but no evidence of a corresponding disparity in stroke case fatality.
  
  
  
  These findings show that the black-white differences in stroke mortality are largely driven by differences in stroke incidence, with case fatality playing at most a minor role. Therefore, to reduce the black-white disparity in stroke mortality, interventions need to focus on prevention of stroke in blacks.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biostatistics (G.H., S.E.J.) and Epidemiology (V.J.H.), University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health; Office of Clinical Research, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD (C.S.M.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (L.A.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, OH (D.O.K., B.M.K., M.L.F.); Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Indianapolis (F.W.U.); Department of Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (E.Z.S.); Department of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, NY (M.M.S., V.G.W.); and Department of Medicine, University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington (M.C.). ghoward@uab.edu.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biostatistics (G.H., S.E.J.) and Epidemiology (V.J.H.), University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health; Office of Clinical Research, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD (C.S.M.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (L.A.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, OH (D.O.K., B.M.K., M.L.F.); Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Indianapolis (F.W.U.); Department of Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (E.Z.S.); Department of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, NY (M.M.S., V.G.W.); and Department of Medicine, University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington (M.C.).
authors.forename: Claudia S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Moy
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biostatistics (G.H., S.E.J.) and Epidemiology (V.J.H.), University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health; Office of Clinical Research, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD (C.S.M.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (L.A.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, OH (D.O.K., B.M.K., M.L.F.); Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Indianapolis (F.W.U.); Department of Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (E.Z.S.); Department of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, NY (M.M.S., V.G.W.); and Department of Medicine, University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington (M.C.).
authors.forename: Virginia J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biostatistics (G.H., S.E.J.) and Epidemiology (V.J.H.), University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health; Office of Clinical Research, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD (C.S.M.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (L.A.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, OH (D.O.K., B.M.K., M.L.F.); Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Indianapolis (F.W.U.); Department of Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (E.Z.S.); Department of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, NY (M.M.S., V.G.W.); and Department of Medicine, University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington (M.C.).
authors.forename: Leslie A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: McClure
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biostatistics (G.H., S.E.J.) and Epidemiology (V.J.H.), University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health; Office of Clinical Research, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD (C.S.M.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (L.A.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, OH (D.O.K., B.M.K., M.L.F.); Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Indianapolis (F.W.U.); Department of Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (E.Z.S.); Department of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, NY (M.M.S., V.G.W.); and Department of Medicine, University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington (M.C.).
authors.forename: Dawn O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Kleindorfer
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biostatistics (G.H., S.E.J.) and Epidemiology (V.J.H.), University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health; Office of Clinical Research, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD (C.S.M.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (L.A.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, OH (D.O.K., B.M.K., M.L.F.); Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Indianapolis (F.W.U.); Department of Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (E.Z.S.); Department of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, NY (M.M.S., V.G.W.); and Department of Medicine, University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington (M.C.).
authors.forename: Brett M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Kissela
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biostatistics (G.H., S.E.J.) and Epidemiology (V.J.H.), University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health; Office of Clinical Research, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD (C.S.M.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (L.A.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, OH (D.O.K., B.M.K., M.L.F.); Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Indianapolis (F.W.U.); Department of Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (E.Z.S.); Department of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, NY (M.M.S., V.G.W.); and Department of Medicine, University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington (M.C.).
authors.forename: Suzanne E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Judd
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biostatistics (G.H., S.E.J.) and Epidemiology (V.J.H.), University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health; Office of Clinical Research, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD (C.S.M.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (L.A.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, OH (D.O.K., B.M.K., M.L.F.); Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Indianapolis (F.W.U.); Department of Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (E.Z.S.); Department of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, NY (M.M.S., V.G.W.); and Department of Medicine, University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington (M.C.).
authors.forename: Fredrick W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Unverzagt
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biostatistics (G.H., S.E.J.) and Epidemiology (V.J.H.), University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health; Office of Clinical Research, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD (C.S.M.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (L.A.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, OH (D.O.K., B.M.K., M.L.F.); Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Indianapolis (F.W.U.); Department of Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (E.Z.S.); Department of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, NY (M.M.S., V.G.W.); and Department of Medicine, University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington (M.C.).
authors.forename: Elsayed Z
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Soliman
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biostatistics (G.H., S.E.J.) and Epidemiology (V.J.H.), University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health; Office of Clinical Research, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD (C.S.M.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (L.A.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, OH (D.O.K., B.M.K., M.L.F.); Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Indianapolis (F.W.U.); Department of Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (E.Z.S.); Department of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, NY (M.M.S., V.G.W.); and Department of Medicine, University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington (M.C.).
authors.forename: Monika M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Safford
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biostatistics (G.H., S.E.J.) and Epidemiology (V.J.H.), University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health; Office of Clinical Research, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD (C.S.M.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (L.A.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, OH (D.O.K., B.M.K., M.L.F.); Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Indianapolis (F.W.U.); Department of Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (E.Z.S.); Department of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, NY (M.M.S., V.G.W.); and Department of Medicine, University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington (M.C.).
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cushman
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biostatistics (G.H., S.E.J.) and Epidemiology (V.J.H.), University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health; Office of Clinical Research, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD (C.S.M.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (L.A.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, OH (D.O.K., B.M.K., M.L.F.); Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Indianapolis (F.W.U.); Department of Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (E.Z.S.); Department of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, NY (M.M.S., V.G.W.); and Department of Medicine, University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington (M.C.).
authors.forename: Matthew L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Flaherty
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Biostatistics (G.H., S.E.J.) and Epidemiology (V.J.H.), University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health; Office of Clinical Research, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD (C.S.M.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (L.A.M.); Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, OH (D.O.K., B.M.K., M.L.F.); Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Indianapolis (F.W.U.); Department of Epidemiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (E.Z.S.); Department of General Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, NY (M.M.S., V.G.W.); and Department of Medicine, University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington (M.C.).
authors.forename: Virginia G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Wadley
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000208:ethnology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001741:Black or African American
keywords: blacks; continental population groups; incidence; mortality; stroke