A new study has found that people with lower incomes and those from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups are more likely to have risk factors for dementia that can be changed or treated.
These findings were published in the journal Neurology.
The study does not prove that income or race directly causes dementia, but it shows strong links between these social factors and higher chances of having conditions that raise the risk for dementia.
Dr. Eric Stulberg from Thomas Jefferson University, who led the study, explained that these findings help us understand how people living in poverty or from under-resourced communities may carry a heavier burden of dementia-related health problems.
By identifying which risk factors are more common in these groups, doctors and policymakers can better design ways to prevent dementia.
This could include offering better access to vision care, helping people stay socially connected, and treating chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.
The study included over 5,000 adults and looked at 13 known risk factors for dementia. These include low education, alcohol use, obesity, high cholesterol, head injuries, untreated hearing or vision problems, diabetes, untreated high blood pressure, smoking, depression, physical inactivity, and social isolation.
Participants were placed into six income groups, from those living below the poverty line to those earning five times more than the federal poverty level. The researchers checked how many people in each group had each risk factor, and then estimated how many dementia cases could possibly be delayed or prevented if those factors were addressed.
The results showed that people with higher incomes were less likely to have most of the risk factors. The exceptions were obesity, high cholesterol, and head injuries, which did not differ as much across income groups. For every step up in income level, people were 9% less likely to have an extra risk factor in middle age.
In the group with the lowest income, two risk factors stood out: vision loss and social isolation. The study found that 21% of dementia cases in this group might be reduced if vision loss were treated, and 20% might be reduced if social isolation were addressed.
Dr. Stulberg emphasized that while these findings are early and don’t prove cause and effect, improving vision care and helping older adults feel more connected could make a big difference for people living in poverty.
Even after adjusting for income, certain risk factors were still more common among historically underrepresented groups, such as Black Americans, Mexican Americans, and other Hispanic groups, compared to white Americans. These included diabetes, lack of exercise, obesity, and vision loss.
Dr. Stulberg believes the study shows that there are opportunities to reduce the risk of dementia, especially among low-income and underrepresented communities.
It’s encouraging, he said, that even risk factors that appear later in life might be treated or improved. He hopes future research will test whether focusing on these risk factors leads to fewer cases of dementia, especially in vulnerable populations.
The study does have some limitations. It only provides a snapshot in time and didn’t track participants over many years. Also, some of the information came from participants themselves, which means it may not always be completely accurate.
If you care about dementia, please read studies that eating apples and tea could keep dementia at bay, and Olive oil: a daily dose for better brain health.
For more health information, please see recent studies what you eat together may affect your dementia risk, and time-restricted eating: a simple way to fight aging and cancer.
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