The estimated economic costs of stroke in 1976 amounted to $7,363,784,000 (based on a 6 percent gross, or 4 percent net, discount rate). Almost half were direct costs, the majority of these were related to inpatient hospital and nursing facility care. Only about six percent of the total were morbidity costs, and the remaining fifty percent consisted of mortality costs, stated in terms of the present value of future earnings. Direct costs include charges by short-term hospitals, extended care facilities, physicians and other medical and allied health personnel, and the costs of aids and appliances. Indirect costs include both morbidity and mortality costs. These costs are distributed as follows. [Formula: see text].