Trends in Demographic and Geographic Disparities in Stroke Mortality Among Older Adults in the United States

Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States (US) among older adults. However, the impact of demographic and geographic risk factors remains ambiguous. A clear understanding of these associations and updated trends in stroke mortality can influence health policies and interventions. This study characterizes stroke mortality among older adults (age ≥ 55) in the US from January 1999 to December 2020, sourcing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research. Segmented regression was used to analyze trends in crude mortality rate (CMR) and age-adjusted mortality rate (AAMR) per 100,000 individuals stratified by stroke subcategory, sex, ethnicity, urbanization, and state. 3,691,305 stroke deaths occurred in older adults in the US between 1999 and 2020 (AAMR = 233.3), with an overall decrease in AAMR during these years. The highest mortality rates were seen in non-specified stroke (AAMR = 173.5), those 85 or older (CMR = 1276.7), men (AAMR = 239.2), non-Hispanic African American adults (AAMR = 319.0), and noncore populations (AAMR = 276.1). Stroke mortality decreased in all states from 1999 to 2019 with the greatest and least decreases seen in California (-61.9%) and Mississippi (-35.0%), respectively. The COVID-19 pandemic saw increased stroke deaths in most groups. While there's a decline in stroke-related deaths among US older adults, outcome disparities remain across demographic and geographic sectors. The surge in stroke deaths during COVID-19 reaffirms the need for policies that address these disparities.