Study: the more rural a place is, the higher the incidence of stroke risk factors, especially smoking among the poor

It's well-known that rural residents are at a higher risk of stroke. But a newly published study in The Journal of Rural Health examined the trend across rurality and found that, the more rural the place, the higher the prevalence of stroke risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, smoking, poverty, and more. Most interestingly, the study uncovered a link between stroke incidence and higher smoking rates, especially in poorer areas. 

Previous research has found that more rural areas have higher stroke mortality rates than more densely populated areas, but that's mainly because of a higher stroke incidence, not a higher case fatality, the authors write.

That said, health-care access disparities also worsen rural stroke survival rates, a 2020 study found. Small, rural hospitals often can't quickly transfer stroke patients to bigger hospitals with access to more experienced specialists and newer treatments, according to the study.