Epidemiological study of type of stroke in rural patients attending at tertiary care center of Hadoti region

Background: Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death and fifth leading cause of disability in India. With the majority of the population belonging to rural areas and limited resources available, the true burden of stroke remains underdiagnosed. Objective: To estimate the epidemiological parameters of stroke among the rural population of Hadoti region, arriving at tertiary care center. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational hospital-based study was done from July 2018 to August 2022 at a tertiary care center in Kota, through the data collected by trained field workers of the patients belonging to rural areas of Hadoti region of Rajasthan state of India. The results were analyzed and statistical tests were used accordingly. Results: A total of 11,646 were enrolled with 7,684 (65.98%) males and 3,962 (34.02%) females, and the overall mean age was 58.83 ± 14.94 years. Ischemic stroke was 9042 (77.64%), hemorrhagic stroke was 1989 (17.08%), subarachnoid hemorrhage was 236 (2.03%), and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis was 379 (3.25%). A total of 4482 (38.48%) were hypertensive, 1379 (11.84%) were diabetic, and 2066 (17.74%) were tobacco users. Conclusion: The study found similarities between urban and rural populations regarding ischemic stroke, age distribution, and male predominance. However, there were differences, with rural areas having a higher proportion of left-sided hemorrhagic strokes and lower prevalence of risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, and tobacco use. This study highlights the need for tailored stroke prevention and management strategies in rural areas.