§ Mrs. BrintonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to address the incidence of stroke in ethnic minority groups, to identify and raise awareness among those at greatest risk and to provide accessible, culturally sensitive and appropriate prevention information. [160539]
§ Yvette CooperThe Department is taking action to address the incidence of stroke in minority ethnic groups through the National Service Frameworks (NSFs) for coronary heart disease and older people.
Given the higher prevalence of stroke in some minority ethnic communities, the NSFs recognise the need to ensure that integrated stroke services and stroke prevention advice should take into account the need for advocacy support, especially for those patients and carers for whom English is not their first language.
The Department is currently funding the Stroke Association to produce information packs on high blood pressure, effects of diet, risks from smoking and alcohol and the importance of exercise. The packs will specifically target Afro-Caribbean people and will be publicised and distributed through local community, church and health groups by the end of 2001.
As part of the Department's tobacco education campaign, a dedicated campaign focused on ethnic minority populations is being developed. The campaign will start in summer of this year and will be supported by a specialist Asian language helpline.
§ Mrs. BrintonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards the target set in "Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation" of reducing stroke in those under 75 years. [160537]
§ Yvette CooperThe target set in the White Paper "Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation" was not solely for stroke, but was for all circulatory diseases combined
To reduce the death rate from coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke and related diseases in people aged under 75 by at least two fifths (40 per cent.) by 2010".It is not yet possible to assess progress towards the target, since the latest available data (for the years 1997–99 combined) overlap with the start of the "Our Healthier Nation" strategy, which was published in July 1999. The last two years' data do demonstrate some movement towards the target, but there are still insufficient data points to establish a trend.The table shows directly standardised mortality rates in England (based on three-year rolling averages) from stroke, CHD and for all circulatory diseases (the target group), among people aged under 75.
207W
Stroke CHD All circulatory diseases 1996 (1995–97) 24.5 88.9 139.6 1997 (1996–98) 23.8 84.3 133.8 1998 (1997–99) 22.8 79.2 127.0 Percentage change 1996–98 —6.6 —11.0 —9.0 Source
Office for National Statistics
§ Mrs. BrintonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he will be issuing on the development of stroke registers to identify those at greater risk of stroke; and when that guidance can be expected. [160538]
§ Yvette CooperAdvice on constructing and populating stroke registers will be contained in the Information Strategy for Older People which will be published shortly.
The National Service Framework for Older People requires that individuals at particular risk of stroke should be identified and offered advice and support to make lifestyle changes. General Practitioner practices should build on registers being developed for the prevention of coronary heart disease as described in the Coronary Heart Disease National Service Framework Standards 3 and 4) and put in place models of care. The milestone for the registers is April 2004.