Trends Of Stroke Epidemiology At The End Of 20TH Century During The Who MONICA Prophylactic Program And At The Begining Of 21ST Century In Novi Sad

At the Collaborating Center of the WHO MONICA project in Novi Sad, where the only MONICA population in former Yugoslavia was located, the research results of Stroke epidemiology during favorable social, political and economic circumstances in our country show a decrease of the incidence and mortality from stroke, and indicate that prophylactic measures performed during the first ten years were successful at completing of their mission, e. i. in the period 1983 – 1992 morbidity and mortality from stroke dropped by about 20%. The main activities dealt with recording the incidence and mortality of stroke and analysis of population samples during intervention program. The results of Stroke epidemiology since 1993 and later show that with the war in the neighboring countries, decrease of general life standard of population, and economic sanctions imposed by United Nations, this beneficial trend has reversed and rates have increased continually. The results of the WHO MONICA project in Novi Sad Collaborating Center are undergoing the final analyses and tests of hypotheses, and they are published in the most reputable world medical journals. Unfortunately, the main risk factors in population age 20 years and over in the first decade of XXI century in Vojvodina are still physical inactivity, hypertension, smoking, overweight, and obesity, the same that were at the beginning of the WHO MONICA program, at the end of XX century in Novi Sad. Such, much worse health reality among younger, requires integrated strategic approach supported by policy, capacity building, surveillance and propagation of medical care