Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common type of dementia, is an irreversible, neurodegenerative brain disease of the elderly population. AD causes the death of brain cells and leads to a progressive decline in memory and cognitive abilities. An ageing population has increased the incidence of AD and has added an enormous burden to the healthcare system. Age is the major determining factor; however, recent evidence shows that race is another major risk factor, though it is not well understood. The Black population in the US has a higher risk of developing AD compared to the White population as they grow older.
Research published at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in July 2023 reported that Black Americans had twice the risk of AD compared to the White population, whereas the Hispanic population had one and a half times the risk. Kumar Rajan and colleagues used cognitive data from the Chicago Health and Aging Project and population estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics to estimate the prevalence of AD in the older population (over 65 years). This was national-level data using medical records from all US counties. The findings of this research suggested a strong relationship between increasing age and race, with counties with this demographic reporting higher prevalence than the national average. The reason for racial differences in risk is not certain, but the studies have suggested that certain genetics, as well as environmental factors, could play a role. Black populations are also more likely to live in deprived neighbourhoods with poor access to health services, and to face to have adverse environmental stressors such as poverty, inequality, and discrimination, which might increase the risk of AD.
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AD is a significant health burden in the US. GlobalData epidemiologists forecast diagnosed prevalent cases of AD in 2023 were 2.4 million in the US, which will increase to 2.8 million in 2028. The increase in the number of cases of AD can be attributed to the projected increase in the elderly population in the US during the forecast period as well as the high prevalence of associated social and environmental conditions, combined with a sedentary lifestyle.
The number of elderly persons surviving to age 80 years and older is expected to increase dramatically as advances in medicine and medical technologies increase life expectancy. This will have a considerable impact on the healthcare system, individuals, families, caregivers, and society. As the prevalence is suggested to be higher in the Black population, the management of AD faces critical challenges for resources, funding, and prioritisation by governments.
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