Prevalence and Risk Factors of Stroke in Middle-Aged Adults in Korea

Purpose: This study aims to examine the prevalence of stroke and its associated risk factors among middle-aged adults in Korea to provide foundational data for targeted prevention and management strategies.Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the 2016-2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.From 46,828 participants, the study selected 9,598 individuals aged 40-64 after excluding those not meeting inclusion criteria.Sociodemographic factors, health behaviors, and clinical measures were examined.Complex sample general linear models, Chi-square tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses were employed to identify significant factors associated with stroke prevalence, with a statistical significance level of p< 0.05.Results: The prevalence of stroke was 1.40% among the participants.Significant factors associated with higher stroke risk included age, living without a spouse, bad subjective health status, and hypertension.Stroke risk increased by 1.08 times with each additional year of age.Participants not living with a spouse had a 1.55 times higher risk of stroke.Those reporting poor subjective health and individuals with hypertension had elevated stroke risks, with odds ratios of 5.29 and 1.57, respectively.Conclusion: This study highlights key demographic and health behavior factors that contribute to stroke risk in middle-aged Koreans.This study highlights the urgent need for public health interventions focusing on early identification and management of modifiable risk factors, such as hypertension and social isolation, in middle-aged Korean adults.