Data

Stroke is the 5th Leading Cause of Death in Virginia (2022).

How does VDH epidemiology define Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke?

Cerebrovascular diseases are disorders in which an area of the brain is temporarily or permanently affected by a lack of blood flow or bleeding from one or more blood vessels in the brain.  Stroke is a type of cerebrovascular disease.

Stroke includes two main categories:

    1. Ischemic Strokes are blockages of blood vessels.
    2. Hemorrhagic Strokes are due to ruptured blood vessels.

Stroke death rates per 100,000 population have increased from 37.4 in 2017 to 41.2 in 2022.

The below graph displays trends in Age-Adjusted Death Rates from Cerebrovascular Disease in Virginia, 2017-2022. The disease specifications are defined by the following ICD-10 discharge codes: Cerebrovascular - I60-I69, Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH) - I60-I62, and Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) - I63-I69.

Data Source: Vital Event Statistics Program, Office of Information Management, Virginia Department of Health.

Table. Virginia Stroke Priority Localities by Mortality Age-Adjusted Rates per 100,000 Population Comparing 2014-2018 and 2016-2020 Aggregate Data.

Region Locality Local Health Department Stroke Mortality 2014-2018 Stroke Mortality 2016-2020
Central Greensville County Crater 64.76 63.43
Brunswick County Southside 59.44 59.53
Nottoway County Piedmont 59.13 53.97
Petersburg City Crater 58.65 65.10
Surry County Crater 57.96 39.08
Mecklenburg County Southside 56.97 60.28
Hopewell City Crater 49.93 44.49
Eastern Franklin City Western Tidewater 93.2 96.93
Portsmouth City Portsmouth 52.67 47.68
Lancaster County Three Rivers 52.66 58.78
Norfolk City Norfolk 50.01 53.09
Hampton City Hampton 47.33 42.89
Accomack County Eastern Shore 45.56 51.32
Mathews County Three Rivers 44.48 35.87
Northern Manassas City Prince William 49.75 46.00
Fairfax City Fairfax 41.11 49.95
Northwest Highland County Central Shenandoah 60.66 37.51
Lexington City Central Shenandoah 60 54.99
Buena Vista City Central Shenandoah 53.67 44.49
Harrisonburg City Central Shenandoah 48.99 47.57
Staunton City Central Shenandoah 48.17 41.44
Warren County Lord Fairfax 44.16 47.87
King William County Rappahannock 44.14 51.49
Caroline County Rappahannock 42.46 39.53
Southwest Martinsville City West Piedmont 84.64 94.42
Covington City Alleghany 74.77 64.23
Galax City Mount Rogers 70.09 82.64
Radford City New River 67.57 62.29
Lynchburg City Central Virginia 61.13 64.97
Appomattox County Central Virginia 59.56 58.82
Danville City Pittsylvania-Danville 54.72 52.85
Salem City Alleghany 51.26 51.97
Amherst County Central Virginia 50.55 47.20

Notes: The Counties and Cities (Localities) listed were identified as priority localities based on stroke mortality rates from 2014-2018 aggregate data by the Virginia Stroke Care Quality Improvement Advisory Group. Localities were categorized by Virginia Health Planning Region and then sorted by Age-Adjusted Mortality Rate per 100,000 population. The top quartile of each region was then selected to indicate priority localities. (Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records).

Additional Stroke Data Resources

Last Updated: October 30, 2024