North Carolina- in the Buckle of the Stroke Belt

The Stroke Belt is a group of 8-12 states in the Southeastern US that have a substantially higher stroke mortality rate than the national average.

North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia comprise the Buckle of the Stroke Belt . Areas of these states have stroke mortality rates that are up to 3 times the national average.

U.S. Stroke Mortality Rates, 1999-2003

Adults Age 35 Years and Older) by County

Source:www.cdc.gov

*Stroke death rates are spatially smoothed to enhance the stability of rates in counties with small populations. Deaths defined according to International Classification of Diseases (IDC) codes ICD-10: I60-I69.

Data Source: National Vital Statistics System, U.S. Census Bureau.