Story 02 · The Guardian
Stroke study makes case for earlier, targeted health checks
Thirty years of South London data suggests prevention is reaching some Black communities too late.
High blood pressure and diabetes — two stroke risks — are rising faster among Black African and Caribbean people than among white people in South London, according to an analysis of more than 8,500 adults over 30 years.
The register data found diabetes was about twice as common in Black African and Caribbean participants. High blood pressure was 47% more prevalent among Black African people and 29% higher among Black Caribbean people. Black African participants were also twice as likely as white participants to have a stroke without a previously diagnosed risk factor: 12% versus 6%.
Researchers are calling for universal detection plus earlier, targeted prevention. NHS health checks begin at 40, which may be too late for groups experiencing stroke younger. Community-based blood-pressure and diabetes screening could find treatable risks before a crisis.
The study identifies where prevention is missing people; it does not test a screening programme or prove ethnicity causes the differences. Socioeconomic inequality also mattered. Any response should improve access without stereotyping, and its success should be measured by earlier diagnosis and fewer strokes.
Original reporting: The Guardian ↗
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