Camila Pantoja Ruiz (PhD candidate): Thirty years of ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities in stroke incidence: Evidence from the South London Stroke Register

Camila will present findings from a 30-year population-based analysis of first-ever stroke incidence using data from the South London Stroke Register (1995–2024). Incidence fell by 34% up to the mid-2010s but increased by 13% in 2020–2024. Black-African and Black-Caribbean populations consistently had the highest incidence, with inequalities that narrowed initially but widened again in the past five years. Adjusting for socioeconomic status attenuated but did not remove ethnic differences. The analyses highlight the combined impact of ethnicity and deprivation and the need for targeted, equitable cardiovascular risk prevention.

Camila is a neurologist & PhD candidate in Population Health Sciences at King’s College London. Her research focuses on ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities in stroke incidence, outcomes and care, using population-based data from the South London Stroke Register. She uses epidemiological and causal modelling methods to identify and target the drivers of these inequalities.

Evelyn Lim (research assistant): Thirty-year trends and predictors of stroke recurrence in a diverse population: the South London Stroke Register

Despite advances in clinical care over recent decades, stroke survivors continue to be at a high risk of recurrence, an event frequently leading to severe disability and mortality. Using 30 years’ worth of data (1995 – 2025) from the South London Stroke Register, we show that recurrence risk was highest in the earliest cohort (1995-1999) of survivors, declined significantly by 28% in the subsequent cohort (2000-2004), then plateaued for 15 years thereafter. Older age, Black Caribbean ethnicity, and low IMD were key predictors of recurrence. Addressing social determinants of health through integrated, equitable care strategies are essential to reduce the burden of recurrent stroke.

Evelyn is a research assistant in Population Health Sciences at King’s College London. Her research interests are in stroke epidemiology and secondary prevention, predictive modelling and clinical applications. Her current research focuses on stroke recurrence and frailty in stroke.