Research Reveals Persistent Racial Disparities in Stroke Treatment and Outcomes

Significant disparities based on race, geographic location, and socioeconomic status continue to affect patients' access to stroke treatment and their overall outcomes in the United States, according to three studies presented at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery's (SNIS) 23rd Annual Meeting. While advances in stroke care have improved survival rates and expanded treatment options, not all patients are benefiting equally.

One study analyzing over 325,000 patients treated between 2018 and 2022 found that Black patients were less likely than white patients to receive endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), a minimally invasive procedure to remove blood clots from the brain. This disparity persisted across all stroke severity levels and widened as severity increased, with Black women being the least likely to receive the treatment.

A second analysis of more than 120,000 patients hospitalized with hemorrhagic stroke in Florida from 2013 to 2024 indicated that while mortality rates declined, substantial disparities remained among different racial, geographic, and socioeconomic groups. Black patients had higher odds of in-hospital mortality compared to white patients. Those living in rural areas and insured through Medicaid also faced higher mortality rates, suggesting gaps in access to specialized care.

The third study examined hemorrhagic stroke mortality in the U.S. "Stroke Belt." Researchers found that in rural counties, longer travel times to comprehensive stroke centers were more strongly associated with mortality. In urban counties, racialized economic segregation and HIV burden were more significantly linked to poorer outcomes, even with closer proximity to specialized care. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, such as improving stroke transfer networks and expanding specialist care access for underserved communities, to reduce inequities and improve outcomes nationwide.