[Stroke prevalence among the elderly in Vassouras, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, according to data from the Family Health Program].

This study estimated the prevalence of stroke among the elderly in Vassouras, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, based on data from the Family Health Program (FHP). The elderly population was chosen since it is growing as a proportion of the general population, and since stroke risk increases with age. Data were screened for all the elderly registered in the FHP in Vassouras, identifying those with a history of stroke and analyzing their socio-demographic profile. The study used data from the Information System on Primary Care, the population census conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), and the Ministry of Health's standardized FHP patient form. Quality of stroke diagnoses in the FHP was analyzed. Data screening detected 122 elderly with a history of stroke diagnosis (prevalence = 2.9%; 3.2% in men, 2.7% in women) and a progressive increase with age. The prevalence rate was the same in the rural and urban area of the municipality (2.9%). Knowledge of stroke prevalence in the elderly population is essential to improve health planning.