A scorecard developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) defines a set of key medical and non-medical risk factors to be addressed by integrated policies to prevent stroke. A report titled Preventing Stroke: Uneven Progress, sponsored by the Bristol-Myers Squibb–Pfizer Alliance, used scorecard data from 20 countries and expert interviews to consider policy efforts meant to reduce the global risk of stroke.

While the burden of stroke on countries, communities and individuals is well-documented and stroke risk factors are relatively well-understood, best practices for effective stroke prevention and management strategies are inconsistently implemented around the world. The EIU scorecard rated countries’ performance across various aspects, including awareness, screening practices and policies among others, to shed light on the best strategies for stroke prevention and to discover which countries are taking the right steps to reduce stroke risk.

Key findings from the report urge that comprehensive and coordinated approaches, pulling together population-based and clinical care, are essential for reducing the global risk of stroke. The report also encouraged policy efforts that would improve risk factor education, implement preventive screenings, ensure the collection of more clinically relevant data and promote increased data-sharing between countries, among others. Read the full report.

Keywords: Humans, Risk Factors, Stroke, Awareness

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