The Prevalence of Self-Reported Stroke in the Australian National Eye Health Survey

Background and Purpose The study aimed to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for self-reported stroke in Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Research Design and Methods In this national eye study, 1738 Indigenous Australians (41.1% male) aged 40-92 years and 3098 non-Indigenous Australians (46.4% male) aged 50-98 years from 30 randomly selected sites, stratified by remoteness, were recruited and examined. Sociodemographic information and a history of stroke, diabetes, and ocular health were obtained using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Results The crude prevalence of self-reported stroke was 5.04% (156 of 3098, 95% confidence interval: 4.29%-5.87%) for non-Indigenous Australians and 8.75% (152 of 1738, 95% confidence interval: 7.46%-10.17%) for Indigenous Australians (P <.0001). The age-adjusted prevalence of self-reported stroke for non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians was 4.23% and 12.72%, respectively. The prevalence of stroke increased significantly with age for both Indigenous (odds ratio = 1.06 per year, P ≤.001) and non-Indigenous Australians (odds ratio = 1.04 per year, P ≤.001), with the Indigenous prevalence being higher than that of the non-Indigenous group at every age. Conclusions The prevalence of self-reported stroke was 3 times higher in Indigenous Australians than in non-Indigenous Australians. This disparity is consistent with previous reports, highlighting the need for intensified prevention and support services to reduce the burden of stroke on Indigenous Australians.