Research Projects

Stroke is an underappreciated but emerging health problem in rural India and perpetuates poverty. Population level data on stroke burden in rural India are scarce and well tested interventions to reduce the burden of stroke are lacking. The goals of this study are to address these gaps by -a) measuring stroke burden in a rural community using cross-sectional surveys, and b) developing and testing a community-based intervention package to reduce stroke burden by conducting a cluster randomized controlled trial. The intervention package will include increasing awareness about stroke, screening and treating selected risk factors for stroke and secondary prophylaxis of stroke. The primary outcome will be reduction in stroke mortality rate in population ? 50 years of age while the major secondary outcomes will include reduction in cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in population ? 50 years of age. If the intervention is effective, it can provide important operational data for the non-communicable diseases programme of the Government of India.