Alzheimer's Incidence Varies Significantly by Location

A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society observed significant geographic variance in the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease in the United States, reports Healio . "Our findings underscore the need to consider regional factors when contemplating policy directive aimed at improving the identification and management of people with cognitive impairment," said Urvi Desai with the Boston-based Analysis Group. The researchers examined a 5 percent random sample of Medicare beneficiaries 65 or older, and retrospectively analyzed their administrative claims data. The overall diagnosed incidence of Alzheimer's fell from 1.53 percent in 2007 to 1.09 percent in 2014, with similar trends for most population areas. Incidence rates in 2014 ranged from 0 percent to more than 3 percent across population areas, with regions of the Midwest and South witnessing the highest incidence rates. Although little geographic variation can be explained by statistical models, following adjustment the rates in relative terms climbed the most in rural regions of western states. "Our findings add to the growing body of literature suggesting that despite the observed declines in overall rates of several chronic conditions such as dementia and cardiovascular disease compared with before, at a given point in time, there may be considerable differences in these outcomes across geographic regions," the researchers concluded.