A new study has found that people living in poorer areas have a higher risk of stroke, compared to those in wealthier neighborhoods. The study included nearly 25,000 Americans with no prior history of stroke. During the follow-up of over seven years, 929 of the participants had a stroke.
The researchers found that men and women, regardless of race, had a higher risk of stroke if they lived in lower income neighborhoods. The results still remained significant even after accounting for other risk factors for stroke.
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The findings can be possibly explained by the fact that people living in poorer areas are more likely to smoke, compared to their counterparts in wealthier areas. Poorer neighborhoods also have higher rates of high blood pressure and diabetes, which can contribute to stroke risk, too.
Study author Virginia Howard explained, “Many social and behavioral risk factors, such as smoking and physical inactivity, are more prevalent in the less advantaged neighborhoods.”
Howard concluded, “Greater attention needs to be paid to risk-factor management strategies in disadvantaged neighborhoods.”
Emily Lunardo studied medical sociology at York University with a strong focus on the social determinants of health and mental illness. She is a registered Zumba instructor, as well as a Canfit Pro trainer, who teaches fitness classes on a weekly basis. Emily practices healthy habits in her own life as well as helps others with their own personal health goals. Emily joined Bel Marra Health as a health writer in 2013.
