Stroke prevention care delivery: predictors of risk factor management outcomes.

Background: Internationally, the development and implementation of stroke care guidelines have resulted in the evolution of stroke prevention outpatient clinics designed to accelerate patient access to treatment and behavioral risk reduction following transient ischemic attack or stroke.

Objectives: To examine the extent to which selected demographic, social-psychological, physiological, and adherence characteristics predicted achievement of blood pressure and glucose targets in a group of patients referred to a Canadian stroke prevention clinic with confirmed transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke and hypertension and/or diabetes.

Participants: A total of 313, English speaking, adult patients who were referred from family or emergency department physicians to a stroke prevention clinic provided demographic data and received social-psychological screening testing at intake.

Integrating self-efficacy and aging theories to promote behavior change and reduce stroke risk.

The increasing incidence of stroke has resulted in the establishment of secondary stroke prevention clinics. Such clinics have successfully reduced wait-to-treatment times for individuals diagnosed with transient ischemic attack or minor stroke. In addition to improving access to consultation, diagnosis, and treatment, healthcare clinics need to implement behavioral risk-reduction programs tailored to older adults to help them better adhere to treatment regimens.