Health Indicator Report of Stroke (Cerebrovascular Disease) Deaths

Data indicate a wide geographic disparity in stroke death rates by county.

Notes

Rates are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population using 11 age groups. **The rates for Daggett, Piute, and Rich counties were suppressed due to a relative standard error >0.5, which does not meet Utah Department of Health standards for reliability. *Unreliable estimates: The rates for Garfield and Wayne counties had relative standard errors >0.3 and should be interpreted with caution.

Definition

The rate of stroke deaths (ICD-10 codes I60-I69 as the underlying cause of death) per 100,000 population.

Numerator

The number of deaths due to stroke (ICD-10 codes I60-I69 as the underlying cause of death) in a calendar year.

Denominator

Total midyear resident population for the same calendar year.

Healthy People Objective HDS-3:

Reduce stroke deaths
U.S. target: 34.8 deaths per 100,000 population
State target: 28.2 deaths per 100,000 population

How Are We Doing?

Utah is getting closer to its target of reducing stroke deaths to 28.2 per 100,000 population. Death rates for stroke have generally declined in recent decades. This trend is likely related to improvements in acute stroke care and in improved detection and treatment of hypertension, a risk factor for stroke. In 1999 (the year ICD-10 codes were adopted for death coding), the age-adjusted death rate for stroke in Utah was 61.3 per 100,000 population. In 2020, the age-adjusted death rate was 34.0 per 100,000 population.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

In 2020, the age-adjusted Utah rate was 34.0 per 100,000. In comparison, the 2019 U.S. rate was 37.0 per 100,000. U.S. data were obtained through CDC WONDER. Age-adjusted rates assume the age distribution for Utah and the U.S. are the same; in other words, it provides rates as though both populations have the same number of people in each age group. The age-adjusted rate for Utah is only a little lower than the national rate.

What Is Being Done?

Originally the EPICC Program (The Healthy Living through Environment, Policy, and Improved Clinical Care Program), The Healthy Environments, Active Living (HEAL) Program was formed in 2013, consolidating three Utah Department of Health programs (Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program, and the Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Obesity Program). The purpose of the consolidation was to ensure a productive, collaborative, and efficient program focused on health outcomes. The HEAL Program aims to reduce the incidence of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke by targeting risk factors including reducing obesity, increasing physical activity and nutritious food consumption, and improving diabetes and hypertension control.

Available Services

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States (2019 data, [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm]). In Utah, stroke was also the fifth leading cause of death in 2018. The Utah Department of Health has a Disability Program that can provide data and resources for individuals affected by stroke. More information is available at [https://health.utah.gov/disabilities]. At a national level, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) established Million Hearts. Million Hearts is an initiative to prevent one million cardiovascular events in the U.S. in five years. This initiative is co-led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). More information is available at [https://millionhearts.hhs.gov].

Health Program Information

The Healthy Environments, Active Living (HEAL) Program is a program within the Utah Department of Health Bureau of Health Promotion. HEAL focuses on enabling education and engaged change for public health by engaging its three main audiences: individuals, partners, and decision-makers. HEAL champions public health initiatives and addresses the challenges of making health awareness and access truly universal and equitable in eight key areas: nutrition, heart health, diabetes, physical activity, schools, child care, community health workers, and worksites.