Amsterdam, July 17, 2023 — The prevalence of Alzheimer’s dementia at the county level in all 3,142 counties of the United States has been unveiled at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®) 2023, held in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and online.
The research, presented by Kumar B. Rajan, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush Medical College, and his colleagues, provides groundbreaking insights into the distribution of Alzheimer’s across the nation. The study utilized cognitive data from the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP) and population estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics (NHCS) to estimate the prevalence of Alzheimer’s among adults 65 years and older in all U.S. counties.
According to the findings, the highest prevalence of Alzheimer’s was observed in the eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. The data, simultaneously published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia®: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association shed light on the areas most affected by the disease.
For counties with a population of 10,000 or more individuals aged 65 or older, the study estimates the highest rates of Alzheimer’s prevalence in the following counties: Miami-Dade County, Florida (16.6%); Baltimore City, Maryland (16.6%); Bronx County, New York (16.6%); 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 (15.0%); and El Paso County, Texas (15.0%).
Rajan and his team pointed out specific demographic characteristics that may contribute to the higher prevalence in these counties. Factors such as older average age and higher percentages of Black and Hispanic residents were identified. For instance, in Bronx County, New York, where the prevalence of Alzheimer’s is high, 14% of residents aged 65 and older were 85 or older, 30.1% were African Americans, and 46.9% were Hispanic Americans, compared to national averages of 12%, 9.4%, and 8.8%, respectively.
The association between age and Alzheimer’s has long been established as a primary risk factor for the disease. The 2023 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report by the Alzheimer’s Association reveals that older Black Americans are about twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s or other dementias as older Whites, while older Hispanics are approximately one and a half times as likely.
Kumar B. Rajan commented on the significance of the new estimates, stating, “These new estimates add more granular data to our understanding of Alzheimer’s prevalence across the country. This information, in addition to raising awareness of the Alzheimer’s crisis in specific communities, may help public health programs better allocate funding, staffing, and other resources for caring for people with Alzheimer’s and all other dementia.”
The study’s estimates were derived from analyzing cognitive and demographic characteristics. Rajan emphasized that Alzheimer’s dementia is a multifactorial disease influenced by various risk factors that interact with demographic elements and ultimately contribute to its prevalence.
According to the Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, approximately 6.7 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease. The report also projects that the western and southwestern regions of the United States will experience the largest percentage increase in people living with Alzheimer’s dementia between 2020 and 2025.
Matthew Baumgart, the vice president of health policy at the Alzheimer’s Association, emphasized the importance of Alzheimer’s prevalence estimates in informing public health officials about the burden on the healthcare system. Baumgart stated, “County-level estimates help us better understand and pinpoint areas of high risk and high need — where, for example, culturally-sensitive health support and caregiver training services are needed. As the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease increases, so does the need for a larger workforce trained in diagnosing, treating, and caring for those living with the disease.”
Baumgart further expressed the Alzheimer’s Association’s commitment to advancing public policies at the state and federal levels to address the needs of people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.
