In 1993/’94 the landmark Curaçao Health Study was conducted. This was the first major health study on
the island carried out on a 3% random sample of the adult population. The most important Non Communicable diseases were Cardiovascular, with hypertension and Diabetes , cancers and joint complaints, for which Obesity is a common risk factor to all of these, as well as being a disease in itself.
Persons with a lower socio economic status were at highest risk for all the above, denoting a clear inequity in health in Curaçao. None of the proposals and pilot projects suggested were considered by the various governments, let alone implemented. To further show the impact the Curaçao Stroke registration was set up using strokes as an outcome of the underlying risk factors mentioned above. The epidemiology of strokes on the island are presented here. The high incidence of strokes is staggering and there are gaping holes in chain care for these patients, among others.