Howard Virginia J, Acker Joe, Gomez Camilo R, Griffies Ada H, Magers Wanda, Michael Max, Orr Sean R, Phillips Martha, Raczynski James M, Searcy John E, Zweifler Richard M, Howard George
School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294-0022, USA.
Prev Chronic Dis. 2004 Oct;1(4):A19. Epub 2004 Sep 15.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, with a particularly high burden on the residents of the southeastern states, a region dubbed the "Stroke Belt." These five states - Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee - have formed the Delta States Stroke Consortium to direct efforts to reduce this burden. The consortium is proposing an approach to identify domains where interventions may be instituted and an array of activities that can be implemented in each of the domains. Specific domains include 1) risk factor prevention and control; 2) identification of stroke signs and symptoms and encouragement of appropriate responses; 3) transportation, Emergency Medical Services care, and acute care; 4) secondary prevention; and 5) recovery and rehabilitation management. The array of activities includes 1) education of lay public; 2) education of health professionals; 3) general advocacy and legislative actions; 4) modification of the general environment; and 5) modification of the health care environment. The Delta States Stroke Consortium members propose that together these domains and activities define a structure to guide interventions to reduce the public health burden of stroke in this region.
中风是美国第三大死因和致残的主要原因，对东南部各州居民的负担尤其沉重，该地区被称为“中风带”。这五个州——阿拉巴马州、阿肯色州、路易斯安那州、密西西比州和田纳西州——组建了三角洲州中风联盟，以直接致力于减轻这一负担。该联盟提议采用一种方法来确定可采取干预措施的领域以及可在每个领域实施的一系列活动。具体领域包括：1）危险因素的预防和控制；2）中风体征和症状的识别以及鼓励采取适当应对措施；3）交通、紧急医疗服务护理和急性护理；4）二级预防；以及5）康复和恢复管理。一系列活动包括：1）对普通公众的教育；2）对卫生专业人员的教育；3）一般宣传和立法行动；4）对总体环境的改善；以及5）对医疗保健环境的改善。三角洲州中风联盟成员提议，这些领域和活动共同构成一个结构，以指导干预措施，减轻该地区中风的公共卫生负担。
