Stroke care equity in rural and remote areas - novel strategies

Abstract

Acute stroke is one of the most common causes of disability worldwide and numbers are projected to increase. Modern and successful recanalizing treatments are available, but timely access to these treatments is most often restricted to urban populations. This disparity affects nearly half of the world’s population, particularly those living in rural and remote areas, and most often affects people with indigenous background. We provide information on this disparity in acute stroke care between rural, remote, and urban areas. We discuss potential new management strategies which could facilitate the timely delivery of acute stroke care to those residents beyond the better serviced urban areas. ..