Stroke is a leading cause of death, disability, dementia, and depression in the United States and worldwide. Additionally, there are striking disparities in stroke, with racial and ethnic minorities in the United States and minority populations in other countries being disproportionately affected. The HEADS-UP symposium was the first annual multi-disciplinary scientific forum that focused on ethnic as well as racial inequities in cerebrovascular disease. Their main goal was to reduce inequities in stroke and accelerate the application of research findings to improve outcomes for minorities residing in the U.S.
The symposium featured esteemed speakers who lectured upon the determinants of ethnic and racial inequities in stroke and interventions that were aimed at remediating disparities. Of the 124 conference attendees at HEADS-UP 2020, 60% were female, 35% were male, and 6% remained undeclared. The ethnicity included Asian 9%, Black 17%, White 36%, Hispanic 8%, Other 20%, and 3% unreported. Attendees from the United States were 92%, and 8% were from outside the United States.
Although there have been essential strides in lowering the burden of stroke, it remains the second leading cause of death globally, with a disproportionate disease burden among racial and ethnic minority populations. The symposium created a forum for sharing knowledge, illuminating research gaps, and inspiring and fostering junior investigators to pursue careers in the field of stroke inequities.
Ref: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.030423
