New report reveals just how big the stroke challenge is in each Aust federal electorate

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The National Stroke Foundation issued the report, which was prepared by Deloitte Access Economics and funded by pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. It identifies federal electorates that bear the greatest burden of stroke.

The Queensland population is shown to have a high rate of risk factors including high blood pressure (17%), high cholesterol (26%) and lack of physical activity (45%).

‘‘Almost the entire NSW coast features in the top quarter of electorates for stroke burden with a stroke belt running from the Byron Bay electorate of Richmond through to the doorstep of inner Sydney electorates North Sydney and Warringah,’’ the report says.

‘‘The stroke belt picks up again on the other side of Sydney in the electorate of Throsby and runs south to the Victorian border.’’
Five of the 10 electorates with the highest number of stroke survivors are in NSW.

NSW is also home to six of the 10 electorates where the highest number of strokes are expected to occur this year, based on the number of residents with risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or physical inactivity.

They include the north coast electorates of Richmond and Page, the mid-north coast electorate of Lyne, as well as Robertson on the central coast, Bradfield in north Sydney and then Gilmore on the south coast.

National Stroke Foundation chief executive Erin Lalor said the research could help plan for where to develop services but it  showed that the burden of stroke was significant in all parts of the nation.

‘‘The Stroke Foundation is urging national action to tackle stroke because all Australians need and deserve access to quality stroke care,’’ Dr Lalor said.

‘‘Despite successive governments recognising stroke as a national health priority, Australia does not have a federally funded strategy or the care services to address widespread need.’’

An Australian suffers a stroke every 10 minutes and almost 1000 Australians have a stroke every week. Almost 440,000 Australians have survived a stroke but two-thirds of them are disabled.

Stroke has been a national health priority since 1996.

About 12,000 Australians will die this year from stroke. It kills more women than breast cancer and more men than prostate cancer.

Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash said the number of stroke deaths per 100,000 Australians had been falling over the past three decades, but cerebrovascular disease – most notably stroke – was the second most common underlying cause of death for Australians.

Senator Nash said the report reinforced how healthier lifestyle choices such as maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, getting enough exercise, not smoking and not drinking excessively could help prevent chronic conditions such as stroke.

In Victoria, the electorate of Flinders that covers the Mornington Peninsula, the Bass Coast and Phillip Island, has the highest number of expected strokes in the state.

The other three national electorates that are expected to see the highest number of strokes this year are the Adelaide seats of Hindmarsh, Sturt and Boothby.

More than 1000 West Australians will die from stroke this year, a number fuelled by the quarter of the population with high cholesterol. The finding comes from the first Australia-wide analysis of strokes, which estimates that 4652 people in WA will have a stroke this year.

Stroke costs the Australian economy $5 billion a year, including $3 billion in lost productivity.

By this end of this year, more than 41,000 West Australians will be stroke survivors, many left with permanent disabilities.

The report showed stroke was having a big impact in Perth’s western and northern suburbs, as well the inner north-east. Rockingham, Kwinana, Armadale and Mandurah also have high rates.

WA National Stroke Foundation executive officer Jonine Collins said among those at risk were the 26 per cent of people with high cholesterol and the 17 per cent with high blood pressure.

Almost half of West Australians were not active enough, another risk factor.

“Our report shows that no postcode has been left untouched by stroke,” Ms Collins said.

“Stroke kills more women than breast cancer and more men than prostate cancer. It places significant demands on health services, families and the community.”

The foundation said almost 440,000 Australians lived with the effects of stroke. This was predicted to reach 700,000 by 2032. South Australia has the highest stroke burden per head of population, with 256 strokes for every 100,000 people expected this year.

In WA, the rate is below the national average and one of the lowest of all States, with 191 strokes per 100,000 people.

Federal Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash said the report showed where governments and health providers needed to do more work to reduce risk factors.

Report: http://strokefoundation.com.au/site/media/NoPostcodeUntouched_Report_0714.pdf
Website: http://strokefoundation.com.au/maps/no-postcode-untouched/