Abstract Details

Title Breaking the Silence: Illuminating Racial Disparities in Stroke and Post-stroke aphasia

Topic Cerebrovascular Disease and Interventional Neurology

Presentation(s) P8 - Poster Session 8 (8:00 AM-9:00 AM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 13-019

Objective

To conduct a comprehensive review of the existing literature on racial disparities in post-stroke aphasia among Black Americans, with the goal of identifying knowledge gaps and proposing areas for future research.

Background Stroke is a significant health and economic burden in the United States, with approximately 795,000 strokes annually, making it the fifth leading cause of death and a major source of disability. Stroke-related costs total an estimated $56.5 billion annually. Black Americans are disproportionately affected by stroke, experiencing higher stroke incidence, younger age of onset, greater post-stroke disability, and higher mortality compared to non-Hispanic whites. Aphasia, a common behavioral consequence of stroke, affects communication abilities in approximately 21-38% of acute stroke patients and impacts 2.5 million Americans. Despite the known racial disparities in stroke outcomes, limited attention has been paid to understanding disparities in post-stroke aphasia among Black Americans. Emerging evidence indicates that Black Americans may experience disproportionate outcomes in aphasia, similar to general stroke disparities.

Design/Methods This review synthesizes current literature on racial disparities in post-stroke aphasia. We conducted a comprehensive search and review of studies that focus on aphasia outcomes among Black Americans following stroke, comparing findings to those of non-Hispanic white populations.

Results

The review reveals that Black Americans experience higher aphasia incidence, greater severity, delayed diagnosis, and limited access to rehabilitation services. Few studies have investigated the underlying causes of these disparities or proposed interventions. There is a notable lack of large-scale, longitudinal research specifically addressing aphasia outcomes in Black Americans.

Conclusions

Addressing racial disparities in post-stroke aphasia is critical for improving care for Black Americans. Future research should focus on understanding the role of social determinants, access to care, and developing culturally tailored interventions. Increased awareness among healthcare providers is essential to promote equitable treatment and improve outcomes for this underserved population.

Authors/Disclosures
Victor Ekuta, MD PRESENTER	Dr. Ekuta has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Doximity. Dr. Ekuta has or had stock in Doximity.Dr. Ekuta has received research support from Rainwater Charitable Foundation. Dr. Ekuta has received research support from Cell Press, Elsevier, Cell Signaling Technologies. Dr. Ekuta has received research support from Rare Disease Diversity Coalition. Dr. Ekuta has received personal compensation in the range of $0-$499 for serving as a Contractor with ScaleAI. Dr. Ekuta has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Contractor with Mercor Labs. Dr. Ekuta has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a ANA Futures Program Participant with American Neurological Association.

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