Stroke Riskometer app

Stroke Riskometer app

  • An app that is aimed at anyone wanting to calculate their risk of stroke.
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Stroke Riskometer app By AUT Enterprises Limited

Features

  • Risk self-assessment.
  • Education and information.
Country of origin New Zealand
Clinical review 

5 star review


Read a clinical review below.

Security and privacy Does the app:
  • Collect medical information? Yes
  • Require a login? No
  • Have password protection? No
  • Have a privacy policy? Yes
  • Require internet access to use? Yes (to play videos)

Read more about safety and security when using apps.

Brochures:
Tips to improve your privacy and security [PNG, 200 KB] Health Navigator Charitable Trust, NZ
Staying safe online(external link) Netsafe, NZ

Cost Free
How to get the app

The Stroke Riskometer app is for anyone wanting to calculate their risk of stroke and understand and track stroke-related risk factors. This is a simple app that calculates the user's risk of stroke within the next 5 or 10 years based on a number of risk factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, lifestyle and other health factors. Useful features include:

  • Videos addressing topics such as what is a stroke, what are the causes of stroke, smoking, diet and nutrition.
  • Goal menu that allows users to set up reminders with notifications for lifestyle changes such as stop smoking, increase physical activity, improve diet, reduce weight, reduce stress and reduce alcohol intake.

The app also provides information about the key signs of a stroke, risk factors that are applicable to the individual and ability to track relevant risk factors (eg, diet and exercise) and the overall risk score. Users are prompted to choose whether they want to allow their data to be used in a research study into stroke risk and prevention. Users can save, track or share their results.

For a more detailed description of the app, see App Store(external link) or App website(external link) and for a detailed review, see reviews below.

Stroke riskometer app screenshots

PROS CONS 

✔ Mostly easy to use.

Risk factors are separated into lifestyle factors that you can change such as diet, exercise and those risk factors that you cannot change such as age.

Gives risk of stroke compared to someone without any contributing risk factors.

Useful pictures explaining the signs and symptoms of a stroke.

User can click an information icon that explains terms such as what constitutes a serving of fresh fruit and/or vegetables, the definition of regular exercise, etc.

Users can use this information to facilitate targeted discussions with their healthcare providers.

✘ Scroll ruler to choose age, weight, height etc is not easy to use

Reasonable level of personal health knowledge required to enter risk factor information.

Would benefit from an explanation of what 'stroke' is. This is in a video format, but companion written information would be good. 

Although the app has many language options, Te Reo and Pasifika languages are not available.

Clinical review

5 star review



Reviewer
: Peter Ou, GP, FRNZCGP
Date of review: May 2022
Platform: Apple iOS

Version: 2.1.1
Comments: Stroke Riskometer is a simple and easy to use app that allows users to gain understanding of their stroke-related risk factors. In addition to gaining an understanding, users can track and manage their risk-related risk factors and use this information to facilitate targeted discussions with their healthcare providers.
Safety concerns: None.
New Zealand relevance: Yes, relevant to a New Zealand audience.


Clinical review

4 star review



Reviewer:
Amy Williamson, Physiotherapist, Hawkes Bay DHB
Date of review: September 2016
Platform: Android

Version: 3.1
Comments:  This app is useful for anyone wanting to assess their risk of stroke. It can be used as an education tool, where users can assess the impact of various factors on stroke risk for example, the effect of increasing regular exercise, reducing body weight (if they are overweight or obese) and reducing blood pressure (if they are hypertensive).  
Safety concerns: None
New Zealand relevance: It is unclear if the app has different cut-offs for BMI risk for Maori and Pacific peoples.


User review

4 star review



Reviewer
: Anonymous, Auckland
Date of review: April 2018

Comments: I quite liked that the app was quick to use, but I felt that it had limited options, no opportunity to give full details. 

Stroke Riskometer website(external link)
Parmar P, Krishnamurthi R, Ikram MA, Hofman A, et al. The Stroke Riskometer(TM) App – validation of a data collection tool and stroke risk predictor(external link) Int J Stroke. 2015 Feb;10(2):231-44.
Dubey D, Amritphale A, Sawhney A, et al. Smart phone applications as a source of information on stroke(external link) J Stroke 2014 May;16(2):86-90.

Disclaimer: The NZ Health App Library is a free consumer service to help you decide whether a health app would be suitable for you. Our review process is independent. We have no relationship with the app developers or companies and no responsibility for the service they provide. This means that if you have an issue with one of the apps we have reviewed, you will need to contact the app developer or company directly.

Credits: Healthify editorial team. Healthify is brought to you by Health Navigator Charitable Trust.