Stroke Death Progress Stalls: What it Means for North Dakota

Why it matters locally: The national plateau in decreasing stroke deaths is a significant concern for North Dakota, a state with a relatively smaller population of just over 780,000. While stroke affects the entire nation, the impact on a state like ours is amplified. A stall in progress means more North Dakotans are potentially facing life-altering strokes and fatalities, putting a strain on families and healthcare resources. Given our key industries often involving physical labor, the potential loss of productivity due to stroke-related disabilities could also have a noticeable economic impact across the state. More specifically, North Dakota is a rural state, which may mean many residents have further distances to travel to receive the care that stroke victims need, or may delay seeking treatment. Also, the state's older average population can unfortunately mean a higher chance of residents experiencing stroke. Therefore, any stagnation, or future increases, in stroke-related deaths will strain ND resources that are already limited.

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After a period of sustained improvement, advancements in preventing deaths due to stroke have begun to plateau. Data indicates that nearly 800,000 people in the United States experience a stroke each year. Of these cases, more than 140,000 result in fatalities. Many stroke survivors experience long-term disabilities that impact their quality of life. Further analysis and research are needed to determine the causes of the slowed progress and to identify new strategies for prevention and treatment.