A study of African-Americans living in the Stroke Belt of Alabama found that awareness of a family history of stroke did not motivate lifestyle changes that reduce cardiovascular risks, Georgia State University researchers reported at the International Stroke Conference's State of the Science Stroke Nursing Symposium. Nurse practitioner and researcher Dawn Aycock said health care providers must understand the importance of a family history and reinforce the need for regular screenings, diet and exercise as well as the need to control cholesterol and blood pressure.