Many Hispanics Don't Call an Ambulance For Stroke:
Study
02/01/12
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Hispanics are less likely
to call an ambulance when they're having a stroke, one reason why
Hispanics are about half as likely as non-Hispanics to have a
favorable outcome after a stroke, a new study suggests.
University of California, San Diego, researchers looked at 192
Hispanic and 925 non-Hispanics who suffered an ischemic stroke
(reduced blood flow to the brain) and were treated at five
hospitals in San Diego.
They found that only 29 percent of Hispanic patients had
favorable outcomes after 90 days, compared with 40 percent of
non-Hispanic whites.
Hispanic patients were less likely to be brought to a hospital
by ambulance, with only 73 percent of Hispanics using emergency
medical services, compared to 83 percent of non-Hispanic
whites.
Hispanic stroke patients were younger and more likely to be
female and to have diabetes. There were no differences between
Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients in terms of time between stroke
onset and arrival at hospital or treatment decision.
After they adjusted for stroke complications, the researchers
concluded that the odds of favorable outcomes for Hispanic patients
was about half that of non-Hispanic patients.
Efforts to increase the use of emergency medical services by
Hispanics may decrease the disparity in stroke outcomes, the
researcher said.
The study was to be presented Wednesday at the American Stroke
Association meeting in New Orleans.
Because this study was presented at a medical meeting, the data
and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in
a peer-reviewed journal.
More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about
stroke.
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