World stroke day 2015
World Stroke Day is on Thursday the 29th October 2015. The World Stroke Organizations theme for World Stroke Day 2015 is I am Woman. The World Stroke
Campaign has chosen to focus on this theme because a woman is more at risk of having a stroke. more likely to die from a stroke than a man.
less likely to receive acute care and rehabilitation than a man, even though she responds equally well to treatment.
more likely to experience a severe decline in cognitive function, and runs a higher risk of post-stroke depression and instutionalization.
more likely than men to experience hypertension, atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat), diabetes, depression and obesity, all of which increase
stroke risk.
more likely to take on the caregiving role.
Some stroke risks are also specific to women. Pregnancy related diabetes, preeclampsia, the use of birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy and hormonal change all increase the risk of stroke for women.
We want more women to understand their stroke risk and take steps that will reduce the likelihood of preventable stroke. This World Stroke Day we are encouraging all women to make healthier lifestyle choices and calling on them to get a health check from a medical practitioner.
Stroke affects women, stroke affects everyone.
We are calling on communities and individuals to use World Stroke Day to show they care. Share information about stroke prevention and ask the women in your community and your life to have a health check to avoid preventable stroke and cardiovascular disease.
Why Women and Stroke? Here are some quick facts:
Women have a higher stroke mortality rate than men. Six in ten strokes deaths occur in women, largely due to stroke occurring later in life in women, when strokes are more dangerous.
Many of the major stroke risk factors occur more frequently in women or are sex-specific to women. As a result, one in five women is at risk for stroke, as opposed to one in six men. Women over the age of 85 have the highest stroke rates of any other
demographic.
Women have elevated stroke risk factors.
Some stroke risk factors such as diabetes, migraines with visual aura, atrial fibrillation, depression, and hypertension occur more frequently in women, and many more stroke risk factors are sex-specific to women, such as pregnancy, preeclampsia, use of birth control pills (especially in the case of women with high blood pressure), hormone replacement after menopause, hormone changes, and gestational diabetes. As a result, one in five women is at risk for stroke, as opposed to one in six men.
Women tend to have worse stroke outcomes than men.
They experience a more severe decline in cognitive function, an increased likelihood of institutionalization, and a higher risk of post-stroke depression. Women with stroke do not receive care that is comparably suitable to their health needs compared with men with stroke.
Women and stroke subtypes.
Some stroke subtypes, such as cerebral vein thrombosis and subarachnoid hemorrhage, are much more common in women.
Women and depression.
Women tend to have worse stroke outcomes than men as indicated by more severe decline in cognitive function, an increased likelihood of institutionalization, and a higher risk of post-stroke depression.
Women as caregivers. The burden of care giving falls predominantly on women, an important issue to women and stroke, as research shows that women caregivers of spouses who have suffered trauma such as stroke tend to report a decrease in mental health after becoming caregivers. Furthermore, women with depression have a higher stroke risk.
Women experience a decrease in mental health after becoming caregivers.
Female caregivers of spouses who have suffered trauma such as stroke tend to report lower quality of mental health, such as increased depression.
Isolation and loneliness. Women are more likely to be living alone and widowed before stroke; they are more often institutionalized after stroke and have poorer recovery from stroke than men.
Women with stroke do not receive comparable care to men with stroke. Women tend to be treated less than men, despite responding equally well to treatments.
There is a gender gap in stroke education.
Despite the fact that women tend to be more aware of be more aware of the stroke signs and treatments than men, women delay going to the hospital after stroke onset and are less likely to be aware of the 4.5 hour window for stroke treatment.
Stroke is largely preventable through lifestyle management, yet to beat stroke, women need sex-specific information, preventative practices, and acute and long-term care and support. stroke affects us all.
Source: worldstrokecampaig.org
