Alzheimer's Prevalence May Triple By 2050, USA

Editor's Choice
Academic Journal
Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience
Article Date: 07 Feb 2013 - 2:00 PST


The USA could be facing an Alzheimer's explosion as the baby boom generation ages, placing a massive burden on society, researchers from the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, reported in the journal Neurology.

The authors specifically mentioned a tripling of the number of Americans with Alzheimer's disease by 2050.

Co-author Jennifer Weuve, MPH, ScD, said:

"This increase is due to an aging baby boom generation. It will place a huge burden on society, disabling more people who develop the disease, challenging their caregivers, and straining medical and social safety nets. Our study draws attention to an urgent need for more research, treatments and preventive strategies to reduce this epidemic."

The team gathered and examined data from 10,802 people who lived in Chicago between 1993 and 2011. They were all Caucasians and African-Americans, aged 65 or more. The researchers interviewed them and assessed them for dementia once every three years. They took into account compounding factors, such as level of education, race and age.

The authors then combined the data with US death rates, education and current/future population estimates from the US Census Bureau.

The study predicts that by 2050 there will be 13.8 million people with Alzheimer's disease, compared to 4.7 million in 2010. Seven million of them in 2050 will be at least 85 years of age.

Weuve said:

"Our detailed projections use the most up-to-date data, but they are similar to projections made years and decades ago. All of these projections anticipate a future with a dramatic increase in the number of people with Alzheimer's and should compel us to prepare for it."

In an Abstract in the journal, the authors concluded "The number of people in the United States with AD dementia will increase dramatically in the next 40 years unless preventive measures are developed."

Alzheimer's numbers set to triple by 2050 globally too

In April 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) predicted that today's population of 35.6 million people with Alzheimer's worldwide will rise to at least 115 million by 2050.

WHO added that by 2030, at least 65 million people will have dementia, 58% of whom will be from developing nations - these countries will have more than 70% of the global population with dementia.

Over $600 billion are spent globally on the treatment and care of people with dementia. Caregivers often have to leave their jobs to look after a person with Alzheimer's disease.

Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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