Researchers at King’s College London examined data spanning 30 years from the South London Stroke Register, analyzing information from more than 8,500 adults to assess trends in stroke risk factors across different ethnic groups. The study found that the prevalence of conditions such as diabetes and hypertension was rising at a faster rate among people from Black African and Caribbean backgrounds than among white participants.
The disparities were particularly notable in diabetes prevalence. Among Black Caribbean and Black African individuals on the stroke register, diabetes was approximately twice as common compared with white participants. High blood pressure showed similarly elevated rates, occurring at 29% higher prevalence in Black Caribbean people and 47% higher in Black African people. The 30-year analysis revealed that diabetes rates increased most rapidly among Black African participants, moving from 21% between 1995 and 2004 to 41% between 2015 and 2024.
Additionally, the research indicated that Black African people experienced stroke without prior risk factor diagnosis at elevated rates, with 12% experiencing stroke in this manner compared with 6% of white people. Dr Eva Emmett, lead author of the study, noted that current prevention protocols may be inadequate, pointing out that NHS health checks screening for hypertension and diabetes begin at age 40, which may be too late for higher-risk groups who tend to experience stroke at younger ages.
The analysis also revealed socioeconomic disparities in stroke risk factor prevalence. Diabetes was 23% more prevalent among participants in manual occupations and 21% higher in those with lower education levels. Similar patterns emerged for high blood pressure, with the greatest increases occurring among those with lower socioeconomic status. Researchers and health officials called for more targeted and earlier primary prevention strategies, including universal improvements in cardiovascular risk detection and adjusted screening protocols for at-risk populations.
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