In this study, 5400 new stroke patients aged ≥15 years were registered in four 12-month recruitment phases (1981–1982, 1991–1992, 2002–2003 and 2011–2012) in Auckland, New Zealand. Ethnicity was selfidentified into 4 major groups: 79% New Zealand/European, 6% Māori, 8% Pacific people, and 7% Asian or Other origin. From 1981 to 2012, overall stroke incidence and 1-year mortality decreased by 23% and 62%, respectively. Whilst stroke incidence and mortality declined across all groups in NZ from 1991, Māori and Pacific groups had the slowest rate of decline and continue to experience stroke at a significantly younger age (mean ages 60 and 62 years, respectively) compared with New Zealand/Europeans (mean age 75 years). There was also a decline in 28-day stroke case fatality (overall by 14%) across all ethnic groups from 1981 to 2012. However, there were significant increases in the frequencies of pre-morbid hypertension, myocardial infarction, and diabetes mellitus, but a reduction in frequency of current smoking among stroke patients.
