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Table 1 Methodological aspects of selected, door-to-door stroke prevalence surveys

From: Stroke prevalence among the Spanish elderly: an analysis based on screening surveys

Survey acronym (country)

Study population's residence

Type of sample

Number of individuals studied

Number of cases

Age (Years)

Prevalence year

Percentage collaboration at screening

Screening phase Instrument & Field workers

Diagnostic ascertainment phase

Diagnostic criteria for stroke

PRATICON (Spain)

El Prat de Llobregat (Barcelona)

Random sample of municipal voters roll

1,754

208

≥ 70

2002

85

Questionnaire Possible stroke symptoms. Field workers: trained neuropsychologist

Stroke protocol. Neurological examination. Hachinski ischaemic score. Brain imaging.

Ischaemic stroke and TIA separately

ZARADEMP (Spain)

Zaragoza municipal area

Random sample of municipal voters roll

2,850

205

≥ 55

1996

83

Questionnaire Possible stroke symptoms. Field workers: trained medical students

Consensus based on review of study data.

Ischaemic stroke and TIA separately Confirmed and possible

BIDASOA (Spain)

Irún, Hondarribia (Guipúzcoa)

Random sample of municipal voters roll

1,349

75

≥ 65

1996

85

Questionnaire Clinical examination SNES (Sicilian Neuro- Epidemiological Study) Field workers: trained sociology students

Neurological examination. Review of medical records.

Thrombotic ischaemic stroke Embolic ischaemic stroke Parenchymatous haemorrhagic stroke Subarachnoid haemorrhage Unspecified stroke Confirmed/possible

PAMPLONA (Spain)

Pamplona (Navarre)

Random sample of municipal voters roll

1,127

80

≥ 70

1991

78

Questionnaire Clinical examination. Field workers: trained physicians

Consensus based on review of study data.

WHO indications [22]

NEDICES (Spain)

Lista (Madrid) Las Margaritas (Getafe, Madrid) Arévalo (Avila)

Random sample of municipal voters roll

1,010

1,164

1,393

47

47

53

≥ 65

1994

78

89

95

Questionnaire. Monica Project items. Review of medical records. Field workers: trained physicians

Neurological examination. Review of medical records.

WHO indications [22]

KUNGSHOLMEN (Sweden)

Kungsholmen, Stockholm

Census

984

31

≥ 75

1987

77

No screening phase.

Self-reported diagnosis. Review of medical records. Clinical examination of the whole population.

Consensus based on review of study data.

ROTTERDAM (The Netherlands)

Rotterdam district

Sample of general population

2,347

158

≥ 55

1993

78

Questionnaire. Incidence. Regular reports of automatic GP records. Field workers: not specified

Review of medical records and study data. Diagnosis by neurologist or GP.

Medically diagnosed stroke. Symptoms more than 24 hours

ILSA (Italy)

Genoa, Segrate (Milan), Selvazzo- Rubano (Padua), Catania, Impruneta (Florence), Fermo (Ascoli Piceno), Naples and Casamassima (Bari).

Random sample of municipal voters roll

3,343

280

≥ 65

1992

80

Questionnaire Possible stroke symptoms. Simple neurological examination. Field workers: not specified

Neurological examination. Review of medical records. Consensus diagnosis.

WHO indications [23] Oxfordshire Community stroke project [24]

SNES (Italy)

Riposto, Santa Teresa di Riva and Terrasini (Sicily)

All subjects residing in municipalities

2,094

115

≥ 65

1987

92

Clinical examination SNES (Sicilian Neuro- Epidemiological Study) Field workers: medically trained

Neurological examination. Review of medical records. Consensus diagnosis.

Modified Schoenberg et al criteria [25]

Vecchiano (Italy)

Vecchiano, North-west Tuscany

All inhabitants aged 65 years or over

1,136

96

≥ 65

2001

95

Clinical examination. Field workers: investigator trained in the diagnosis of cerebrovascular diseases

Neurological examination.

Symptom questionnaire with six questions