Secondary Stroke Risk Reduction in Black Adults: a Systematic Review

Objective To address the fact that Black adults (BAs) experience significantly greater stroke burden than the general population, we conducted a systematic literature review which described evidence-based interventions targeting secondary stroke risk reduction in BAs. Data Source Publications were selected from PubMed, Ovid, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases. We included peer-reviewed, longitudinal, English-language studies performed in the USA which reported results for BAs separately and had adult participants who had experienced stroke-related events. Results Six of the 7 studies employed behavioral interventions which promoted education on stroke risk factors, problem-solving skills, and healthy-coping strategies. These studies demonstrated improvements in one or more biologic outcomes including cholesterol control and systolic blood pressure. Conclusions Existing interventions on secondary stroke risk reduction approaches are effective in reducing secondary stroke risk among BAs, especially in individuals with poorly controlled blood pressure at baseline. However, additional research is needed because the current approaches may limit generalizability.