Stroke prevalence rates describe the number of people in a society with potential rehabilitation and secondary prevention needs due to their stroke. Prevalence studies are relatively rare compared to incidence studies and rely on door-to-door surveys or survey questionnaires with widely varying cooperation rates. Table 4 lists prevalence studies in Europe published since 2000.
Table 4: European prevalence studies
|
Country |
Study period |
Method of case ascertainment |
Stroke prevalence estimate |
| Croatia[58] | 2005 | Door-to-door survey | 2.0% |
| Finland[54] | 2008 | National stroke database | 1.5% |
| Germany[59] | 2001 | Population survey questionnaire | 4.5% (aged ≥50 years) |
| Italy[60] | 2004 | Questionnaire & medical records | 1.5% |
| Italy[61] | 2001 | Door-to-door survey | 8.2% ♂, 5.1% ♀
(aged ≥65 years) |
| Netherlands[62] | 2000 | GP data | 0.8%
(estimate: 0.9% in 2020) |
| Slovenia[63] | 2001 | National survey | 0.9% (aged 25-64 years) |
| Spain / Madrid[64] | 1994 | Screening questionnaire & neurological assessment | 3.4% |
| Spain[65] | 1991-
2002 |
Door-to-door survey | 6.4% (aged ≥70 years) |
| Sweden[66] | Not clear | Hospital data & self- reports | 18.8% (aged ≥85 years) |
| UK[67] | 1995-
1996 |
GP data | 0.9% |
Together with an ageing population and improving survival rates[68-72] the number of stroke survivors in Europe is rising[62]. This represents an increasing challenge for those trying to meet long term needs of stroke survivors, impacting on health and social care providers and their funders, as well as on families and other informal care givers.
