A study published by the Ministry of Health reveals that the frequency and severity of cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) are higher among the poorest people.
We are not all equal when it comes to the risk of stroke. The frequency of occurrence of a stroke “among people belonging to the poorest 25% is 40% higher than among those belonging to the wealthiest 25%”, highlights a study published on February 9 by the Ministry of Health.
This finding is all the more true between 45 and 64 years old, notes the Statistics Department (DREES) which analyzed patient data from 2014 to 2017. In this age group, “the rate of occurrence is almost twice higher among the most modest compared to the wealthiest”, before “fading at old age”. Indeed, no difference was observed after 85 years.
More serious consequences
In addition, the sequelae following a stroke are greater in the most modest. For them, the risk of paralysis persisting beyond 24 hours is 22% higher. The same is true for language disorders where the risk is increased by 11%.
How to explain these results? Complications “are strongly correlated with the quality and timeliness of initial care,” the report notes. The standard of living is a factor to be taken into account, particularly in terms of access to the “most appropriate services” in the hospital. “The most modest people are 10% less likely to be accommodated in these units”, specifies the DREES.
In total, 27% of patients die in the year following their stroke. Here again, a high standard of living is associated with an 11% reduction in the risk of death at one year.
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