Lay summary
Stroke is the 2nd most common cause of death worldwide, with 9000 strokes occurring in New Zealand (NZ) annually. It has an enormous physical, psychological and financial impact on patients, families, and healthcare systems, with costs in NZ estimated at $750M pa. This project aims to accurately determine the burden of stroke and transient ischaemic attack (TIA, a major risk factor for stroke), in terms of incidence and outcomes to determine how this has changed in the last 40 years. We will also determine the burden of stroke and TIA using updated criteria based on neuroimaging. These findings will track the impact of new acute care management strategies for different ethnic groups and help plan for better services for people affected by stroke and TIA.