TY - JOUR
T1 - Urbanization and stroke prevalence in Taiwan
T2 - Analysis of a nationwide survey
AU - Lin, Herng Ching
AU - Lin, Yen Ju
AU - Liu, Tsai Ching
AU - Chen, Chin Shyan
AU - Chiu, Wen Ta
PY - 2007/7
Y1 - 2007/7
N2 - This study aims to explore the prevalence of strokes among individuals and the association with urbanization levels. A total sample of 9,794 individuals was obtained from a nationwide survey on Taiwan for subsequent analysis in this study. After adjusting for gender, age, other risk factors for stroke and individual socioeconomic status, a multivariate logistic regression model was employed to investigate the relationships existing between the prevalence of strokes and the level of urbanization. This study finds that those living in areas at the highest level of urbanization (level 1) had the highest prevalence of strokes (2.49%). With decreasing urbanization level, there was a general decline in stroke prevalence. After adjusting for other factors, the multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that compared to participants living in the highest urbanization level, the respective odds ratios of suffering a stroke for those living in areas at the lowest levels of urbanization (levels 7 and 8), were 0.43 and 0.30. We conclude that after adjusting for other stroke risk factors, the level of urbanization is an important contributory factor to the overall prevalence of strokes in Taiwan.
AB - This study aims to explore the prevalence of strokes among individuals and the association with urbanization levels. A total sample of 9,794 individuals was obtained from a nationwide survey on Taiwan for subsequent analysis in this study. After adjusting for gender, age, other risk factors for stroke and individual socioeconomic status, a multivariate logistic regression model was employed to investigate the relationships existing between the prevalence of strokes and the level of urbanization. This study finds that those living in areas at the highest level of urbanization (level 1) had the highest prevalence of strokes (2.49%). With decreasing urbanization level, there was a general decline in stroke prevalence. After adjusting for other factors, the multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that compared to participants living in the highest urbanization level, the respective odds ratios of suffering a stroke for those living in areas at the lowest levels of urbanization (levels 7 and 8), were 0.43 and 0.30. We conclude that after adjusting for other stroke risk factors, the level of urbanization is an important contributory factor to the overall prevalence of strokes in Taiwan.
KW - Health Policy
KW - Stroke
KW - Urbanization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34447498531&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34447498531&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11524-007-9195-1
DO - 10.1007/s11524-007-9195-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 17492511
AN - SCOPUS:34447498531
VL - 84
SP - 604
EP - 614
JO - Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
JF - Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
SN - 1099-3460
IS - 4
ER -