The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) has released a groundbreaking report revealing the regions in the US most affected by Alzheimer’s disease. This report provides the most detailed analysis to date, estimating rates of the disease at the county level. It shows that seniors on the East Coast and South East are most likely to be affected by this memory-robbing disorder.
Across the United States, approximately 6.7 million Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s disease, which equates to roughly one in ten. However, in some counties, this figure rises to as high as one in six. In Miami, Baltimore, and the Bronx, for example, an estimated one in six individuals have Alzheimer’s disease. The top five counties with the highest prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease sufferers are Prince George’s County in Maryland (16.1 percent), Hinds County in Mississippi (15.5 percent), Orleans Parish in Louisiana (15.4 percent), Dougherty County in Georgia (15.3 percent), and Orangeburg County in South Carolina (15 percent).
These findings coincide with promising advancements in Alzheimer’s research. Recent trials of the drug donanemab have shown that it can slow the progression of early Alzheimer’s by up to 60 percent. This breakthrough has been labeled a “turning point” in the fight against the disease.
To further understand the impact of Alzheimer’s disease in different regions, the Alzheimer’s Association used data from over 10,000 individuals aged 65 and over in 2020. By mapping the proportion of seniors with the disease in all 3,142 counties in the US, the Association aims to inform authorities about areas of high need for Alzheimer’s resources. Additionally, this report may encourage individuals to undergo testing for the disease, as many remain undiagnosed until the later stages.
Miami-Dade County in Florida has the highest proportion of residents over 65 years old with Alzheimer’s disease, at approximately 16.6 percent of the population. This high prevalence has been attributed to the large black and Hispanic populations in the area, who are at a significantly higher risk of developing the disease compared to their white counterparts. The counties with the largest populations of people with Alzheimer’s disease overall are Los Angeles County in California (1.4 million people), Cook County in Illinois (792,000 people), and Maricopa County in Arizona (729,000 people).
The data also revealed that sparsely populated counties with low proportions of older populations, such as those in Alaska, Texas, Colorado, and South Dakota, have the lowest rates of Alzheimer’s disease. Some remote counties even have rates lower than one in 20 people affected.
Furthermore, the report found that the likelihood of having Alzheimer’s disease increased with age. Those aged 85 and older were 15 times more likely to have the disease compared to individuals aged 65 to 69. Additionally, senior women had a 13 percent higher risk of being affected by Alzheimer’s compared to men. Rates among black seniors were approximately 2.5 times higher than those among white seniors.
Dr. Kumar Rajan, an expert in internal medicine at Rush Medical College in Chicago, emphasized the need for early diagnosis, stating that over half of people living with Alzheimer’s disease are undiagnosed. He also discussed the potential factors contributing to higher rates of the disease in certain cities, such as Baltimore’s history of segregation and a larger black population.
With an estimated 6.7 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, the AAIC’s findings shed light on the regions most affected by this debilitating condition. Despite these challenges, recent breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s research, including the development of drugs like donanemab and lecanemab, offer hope for effective treatments in the future. As the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease continues to rise, it is crucial to expand the workforce trained in diagnosing, treating, and caring for those affected by the disease.
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