THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION IS RELEASING ITS FIRST-EVER NATIONWIDE REPORT, OFFERING A COUNTY-BY-COUNTY BREAKDOWN OF THE PREVALANCE OF THAT FORM OF DEMENTIA, INCLUDING IN ALL 99 IOWA COUNTIES.
THE REPORT STATES THAT THE AVERAGE ALZHEIMER’S PREVALENCE RATE IN IOWANS AGE 65 AND OLDER IS 11-PERCENT.
BRIANNE FITZGERALD, A SENIOR DIRECTOR WITH THE ASSOCIATION’S IOWA CHAPTER, SAYS TWO RURAL COUNTIES TOPPED THE STATE’S LIST.
ALZ4 OC……..12.9 % :11
BY COMPARISON, THE NATION’S HIGHEST INCIDENCE OF ALZHEIMER’S IS NEARLY FOUR POINTS HIGHER AT 16-POINT-SIX PERCENT WITH A THREE-WAY TIE BETWEEN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA; BALTIMORE CITY, MARYLAND; AND BRONX COUNTY, NEW YORK.
NONE OF IOWA’S 99 COUNTIES MADE THE NATIONAL TOP 20, BUT THE NEWS FROM THE REPORT WASN’T ALL GOOD.
ALZ5 OC………. “MOVE FORWARD” :16
THE REPORT SHOWS WHAT APPEARS TO BE A HIGHER PREVALENCE FOR ALZHEIMER’S IN IOWA’S NORTHWESTERN COUNTIES, WITH LOWER RATES IN EASTERN IOWA.
FITZGERALD SAYS THEY’LL BE STUDYING THIS MAP CAREFULLY.
ALZ6 OC….”LITTLE BIT MORE” :17
FITZGERALD SAYS THERE ARE THEORIES ABOUT WHY THERE APPEARS TO BE A HIGHER PREVALENCE IN NORTHWESTERN IOWA:
ALZ7 OC……HISPANIC RESIDENTS. :19
FOR IOWANS WHO WANT TO LEARN MORE, SHE DIRECTS PEOPLE TO THE WEBSITE, ALZ-DOT-ORG.
IT’S ESTIMATED THERE ARE 66,000 IOWANS LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER’S OR ANOTHER DEMENTIA, AND ANOTHER 98,000 IOWANS ARE THEIR CAREGIVERS.
RADIO IOWA
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