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Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Stroke incidence, trends, and geographic disparities in Ghana: An analysis of nationwide health facility records
Public Health , Vol.242, pp.44-49
2025
PMID: 40024207
Appears in Thompson Institute Research Collection
Abstract
Objectives
Despite the increasing burden of stroke and its effects in sub-Saharan Africa, there is a paucity of empirical studies on the burden of stroke and its risk factors to help guide targeted interventions in the region. This study examines the incidence, trends and some factors associated with stroke cases in Ghana.
Study design
Retrospective analysis of observational routinely collected data.
Methods
Empirical data of confirmed stroke cases from all government-affiliated healthcare facilities were extracted from the District Health Information Management Systems of the Ghana Health Service spanning 2016–2021. Variables include stroke case counts by sex, age group and location. Cartographic geospatial mapping of stroke case density and negative binomial regressions were employed to assess trends and factors associated with stroke.
Results
Stroke cases increased by more than two-fold in just six years (from 10,732 to 23,009). The rates for people 35–59years (IRR = 5.06, 95% CI: 4.04–6.63) and those above 60 years (IRR = 6.29, 95% CI: 5.01–7.88) were 5 and 6 times higher compared with 0–35year old. The rate of stroke in the year 2021 was 61 % higher than in 2016 (IRR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.18–2.21). People in the northern savannah ecological zone had 77 % lower rate of stroke compared with those in the coastal zone of Ghana (IRR = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.18–0.30).
Conclusions
The incidence of stroke in Ghana is rising across all age groups, sexes and locations with a trajectory of early onset within the life course. There is an urgent need for the implementation of public health interventions for early detection, prevention and management of stroke cases in the country.
Details
- Title
- Stroke incidence, trends, and geographic disparities in Ghana: An analysis of nationwide health facility records
- Authors
- E.W. Kanmiki (Corresponding Author) - ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life CourseVictor Oguoma - ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life CourseS Mayeden - Heidelberg UniversityS K Kofitse - Ghana Health ServiceE A Nonterah - Ghana Health ServiceJ Akazili - C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied SciencesA A Mamun - ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course
- Publication details
- Public Health , Vol.242, pp.44-49
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.puhe.2025.02.023
- ISSN
- 1476-5616; 0033-3506
- PMID
- 40024207
- Copyright note
- © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Royal Society for Public Health. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).
- Grant note
- This work was partly supported by the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH) through its early career small grant award (Project ID 19800012).
- Organisation Unit
- Thompson Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991113050702621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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