A recent study published Monday in JAMA Neurology has found significant regional differences in dementia rates among US veterans. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, analyzed medical records from over 1.2 million veterans aged 65 and older, with no pre-existing dementia.
After adjusting for age, dementia rates were lowest in the Mid-Atlantic region, while higher rates were found in various regions across the country. The Southeast (25% higher), Northwest (23% higher), Rocky Mountains (18% higher), South (13% higher), Southwest (7% higher), and Northeast (no difference) showed notable increases in dementia risk compared to the Mid-Atlantic baseline.
While adjusting for factors such as education level, rural area, and other health conditions did not significantly reduce variance, researchers speculate that regional differences may be influenced by lifelong factors like education quality and social determinants of health. The study’s findings leave open further questions but hold promise for identifying new ways to prevent dementia.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/these-u-s-states-have-the-highest-rates-of-dementia-2000613199