New research presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Amsterdam on Monday has revealed that Florida’s Miami-Dade County holds the highest prevalence of individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia in the United States.
Among counties with a population of 10,000 or more individuals aged 65 or older, the researchers found that the highest rates of Alzheimer’s prevalence were observed in the following areas: 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%).
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The study utilized cognitive data from the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP) as well as population estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics (NHCS) to estimate the prevalence of Alzheimer’s among adults aged 65 and older in all counties across the nation.
According to the Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, approximately 6.7 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. The report also indicates that, based on previous projections, the western and southwestern regions of the United States are expected to experience the largest percentage increase in individuals living with Alzheimer’s dementia between 2020 and 2025.
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Factors contributing to higher Alzheimer’s prevalence rates
According to reports, researchers further noted that specific demographic characteristics, such as older average age and higher proportions of Black and Hispanic residents, may contribute to the higher prevalence rates observed in these counties.
Dr. Kumar B. Rajan, a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush Medical College, emphasized that the research estimates are based on cognitive and demographic characteristics.
He added that Alzheimer’s is a multifactorial disease involving several risk characteristics that interact with demographic risk factors and ultimately contribute to its prevalence.
Furthermore, based on the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2023 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures, older Black Americans are approximately twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s or other dementias compared to older Whites, while older Hispanics are about one and a half times as likely.
Dr. Rajan expressed that these new estimates provide more detailed data on the prevalence of Alzheimer’s across the country.
He believes that this information, along with raising awareness about the Alzheimer’s crisis in specific communities, can help public health programs better allocate funding, staffing, and other resources to support the care of individuals with Alzheimer’s and all other forms of dementia.
