Women Less Aware of Risk Factors for Stroke 7/6/00 Women are significantly more likely to die of a stroke than men. They are also less aware (spontaneously) than men of potential risk factors, according to a recent MORI poll for The Stroke Association. The figures, released to coincide with a major discussion and vote by the National Federation of Women's Institutes on the issue of stroke care, show that women are considerably less likely than men to recognise that eating healthily, and lowering their alcohol consumption, can help to reduce the risk of stroke. According, to Eoin Redahan, Director of Public Relations at The Stroke Association, "These figures are extremely worrying. Women are three times more likely to die of a stroke than they are of breast cancer, yet many women are clearly unaware of what they can do to help reduce their risk. We hope that the fact that the National Federation of Women's Institutes, the UK's largest women's organisation, is addressing the issue of stroke in such a decisive way will help to dispel some of the ignorance about the condition." UK figures show that 16% of women are likely to die of a stroke compared with 8% of men. The MORI poll figures reveal that, when asked what they personally could do to prevent or lower high blood pressure, the single biggest risk factor for stroke, the difference between male and female responses is marked. 39% of women believed eating healthily is important compared to 44% of men, taking exercise ranked at 29% for females compared to 33% for males and consuming less alcohol stood at 11% for females versus 14% for males. MORI conducted 1,949 interviews with a representative sample of adults aged 15+ in Great Britain. Interviews were carried out in home, face-to-face using CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) between 20-23 August 1999. The data are weighted to reflect the national population profile.