The global burden of stroke is particularly substantial in low- and middle-income countries. There are several risk factors or determinants of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases that are modifiable and have been shown to reduce the risk of stroke in at-risk persons. The high-risk or individual approach to prevention uses screening to identify such persons and medication is then usually required; however, to affect change in risk in a community, a population or mass approach is required to shift the community population to a lower risk profile. The community approach is usually accomplished through legislation, health education and wider economic means. In this review, the authors discuss the population approach to primary stroke prevention.
Keywords: high-risk approach; population health; population or mass approach; stroke; stroke prevention.