Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the burden of stroke

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples comprise about 2.4% of the Australian population. There is little information about stroke among these groups of people. Most information comes from national mortality and hospital morbidity data, and population-based surveys of risk factors. Hospitalisations for stroke among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are 1-2-fold that of non-indigenous males and 1.9-fold that of non-indigenous females. Similarly, deaths from stroke are greater among Indigenous Australians, being approximately double that of non-Indigenous Australians. The disparity in stroke deaths is greatest among younger individuals. Differences in hospitalisations and mortality from stroke can be attributed to both a greater prevalence of modifiable risk factors for stroke among the Indigenous population and poorer access to acute care services. Access to appropriate primary health care is also problematic for many Indigenous Australians, mainly because of their distance from health services and lack of available transport. Stroke and its risk factors are common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Adopting national and state strategy actions, such as providing a comprehensive primary health care program and increased training and support for health care providers, is urgently needed to reduce the incidence of stroke in these groups. However, continued efforts across the health care sector are required to ensure stroke reduction in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.