Stroke Epidemiology in Argentina. Design of a Population-Based Study in General Villegas (EstEPA)

Background: Epidemiological data on stroke is scarce in Latin America. Estudio Epidemiologico Poblacional sobre Accidente Cerebrovascular (EstEPA) is a population-based program planned to assess prevalence, incidence, mortality, and burden of disease for stroke in the Department of General Villegas, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Methods and Design: Prevalence study will consist of a two-phase survey approach in the urban area of General Villegas. First, trained social workers with a structured questionnaire will collect data in 2000 randomly selected housing units. Those subjects screened positive for possible strokes will be interviewed and examined by stroke neurologists to confirm diagnosis. The incidence study will be performed according to the methodology of WHO STEPS stroke surveillance manual and will detect all new strokes in the department during a 5-year period. General and disease-specific mortality rates will be assessed monthly during a 5-year period, using different sources of information. To assess the overall burden of cerebrovascular disease, disability adjusted life years will be calculated. Discussion: EstEPA will assess for the first time all aspects of stroke epidemiology in Argentina. Its results will help to implement population-based interventions and to properly allocate public health resources.