A new study has found that Alzheimer’s disease, which causes memory loss and thinking problems, is most common in the eastern and southeastern parts of the United States.
The reason, researchers say, is that these areas have more older adults and larger numbers of Black and Hispanic people, who are at higher risk for the disease.
The study looked at health data from every U.S. county—3,142 in total. This gave scientists a full view of where Alzheimer’s is most common and can help health officials decide where to focus support and resources.
Dr. Kumar Rajan, a professor at Rush Medical College in Chicago, said this information gives a clearer picture of where Alzheimer’s affects the most people. It can help raise awareness and allow public health programs to send money, staff, and services to the places that need them most.
The data came from the Chicago Health and Aging Project and U.S. government population numbers.
The study found that Alzheimer’s is most common in counties in the East and Southeast. Some of the top areas with the highest rates include Miami-Dade County in Florida, Baltimore City in Maryland, and Bronx County in New York. In each of these places, about 16.6% of older adults are living with Alzheimer’s disease.
Other counties with high rates include:
– Prince George’s County, Maryland (16.1%)
– Hinds County, Mississippi (15.5%)
– Orleans Parish, Louisiana (15.4%)
– Dougherty County, Georgia (15.3%)
– Orangeburg County, South Carolina (15.2%)
– Imperial County, California and El Paso County, Texas (15%)
Alzheimer’s mostly affects older people. However, the study also found that Black and Hispanic older adults are at greater risk. Black Americans over age 65 are about twice as likely to get Alzheimer’s as white Americans the same age. Hispanic seniors are about 1.5 times more likely than white seniors to get the disease.
Dr. Rajan explained that Alzheimer’s is not just caused by aging. It also depends on other factors, including a person’s background and other health risks.
Right now, about 6.7 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s disease. The number is expected to go up, especially in the western and southwestern parts of the country between 2020 and 2025.
Matthew Baumgart from the Alzheimer’s Association said knowing where Alzheimer’s is most common can help health systems get ready. It also shows where more doctors, caregivers, and support programs are needed.
As more people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the country will need more healthcare workers trained to care for people with memory loss and related conditions. It’s also important that this care be respectful of people’s cultural backgrounds.
This important research was presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Amsterdam and published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
If you care about Alzheimer’s, please read studies about the likely cause of Alzheimer’s disease , and new non-drug treatment that could help prevent Alzheimer’s.
For more health information, please see recent studies about diet that may help prevent Alzheimer’s, and results showing some dementia cases could be prevented by changing these 12 things.
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