Hospital admission data reveal that the number of strokes in men aged between 40 and 54 have nearly doubled over the course of last 15 years – numbers which are alarming says Stroke Association, UK.
Marking the Action on Stroke Month 2015, the charity released details of the analysis it carried out using hospital admission data revealing that back in 2000 there were just over 4,260 hospital admissions for stroke among men aged between 40 and 54 in England. Come 2014 this number has almost doubled to 6,221 – an increase of 46 per cent.
The charity is attributing the rise in reported stroke numbers to increasing sedentary and unhealthy lifestyles, as well as changes in hospital admission practice.
Research was also carried out for the number of women of the same age group suffering from stroke and the numbers are startling. The charity’s research shows the number of women aged 40-54 admitted to hospital after a stroke in the last 15 years has dramatically increased by almost a third (30 per cent) – from 3,529 in 2000, to 4,604 in 2014.
Number of strokes occurring in people aged 20 to 64 has risen by as much as 25 per cent in the past 15 years.
Jon Barrick, Chief Executive of the Stroke Association, said: “These figures show that stroke can no longer be seen as a disease of older people. There is an alarming increase in the numbers of people having a stroke in working age. This comes at a huge cost, not only to the individual, but also to their families and to health and social care services.
“The simple truth is that we must do more to raise people’s awareness of risk factors, to help prevent them from having a stroke. With many more stroke patients now receiving emergency medical treatment, we also need the right health and social care services available. People must have the support they need to make the best possible recovery and avoid having to cope for decades with the disabilities that stroke can bring.”
Financial impact
The Stroke Association is warning that the rise in working age stroke means more people will be forced to live with the heavy financial impact of the condition. Stroke survivors unable to return to work can struggle to cope with a fall in income, increased household bills and a benefits system which does not recognise the full impact of stroke.
Overall, stroke costs the UK economy around £9 billion a year. Loss of income, due to death and disability from stroke alone, is over £1.3 billion each year.
A survey of businesses regarding their attitudes on the impact of stroke on their staff, for Action on Stroke Month 2015, showed that:
Just one in 20 employers recognised cognitive difficulties as a symptom of stroke.
When asked why businesses might be reluctant to employ a stroke survivor, two fifths (42 per cent) said that they would have concerns about the impact of a stroke on an employee’s ability to carry out their role.
Half (50 per cent) had not heard of the Government’s Access to Work Scheme.
Jon Barrick said: “Having a stroke is bad enough, but being written off by your employer through a lack of understanding can be catastrophic. Businesses play a crucial role in helping stroke survivors get back into the workplaceand on the road to recovery. That’s why we’re calling on employers to be aware of the physical and emotional impact of stroke.”
Brendan Roach, Senior Disability Consultant at Business Disability Forum, added: “Our experience of working with organisations for over 20 years demonstrates that businesses with an effective and well publicised process for making disability-related workplace adjustments are best placed to meet the challenge of risings rates of stroke. That’s why we’re supporting the Stroke Association’s work to encourage employers to understand the needs of stroke survivors and become ‘disability-smart’.”
