Clinical and Epidemiological Determinants of Stroke in Adults

Stroke remains a major cause of mortality and long-term disability worldwide, posing a substantial burden on individuals, healthcare systems, and public health. This study aimed to examine the clinical and epidemiological determinants associated with stroke occurrence in adults. A quantitative cross-sectional analytical design was adopted using a structured secondary dataset comprising 5,110 adult records. The analysis included demographic, clinical, and lifestyle-related variables, namely age, gender, hypertension, heart disease, marital status, work type, residence type, average glucose level, body mass index, smoking status, and stroke status. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the study variables, while inferential statistical techniques, including Chi-square tests and independent sample t-tests, were applied to assess the association between predictor variables and stroke occurrence. The findings revealed that age, hypertension, heart disease, average glucose level, body mass index, marital status, work type, and smoking status were significantly associated with stroke. Individuals with stroke had higher mean age, glucose level, and body mass index than those without stroke. Hypertension and heart disease emerged as the strongest clinical determinants, with substantially higher stroke prevalence among affected participants. In contrast, gender and residence type were not significantly associated with stroke occurrence. Overall, the findings indicate that stroke in adults is influenced by a combination of clinical, epidemiological, and lifestyle-related factors. These results highlight the need for integrated prevention strategies emphasizing cardiovascular risk screening, metabolic monitoring, and targeted public health interventions to reduce stroke burden and improve adult health outcomes.