Latest news with #KristineYaffe
Gizmodo
a day ago
- Health
- Gizmodo
These U.S. States Have the Highest Rates of Dementia
Your zip code may shape your aging brain's health. New research out today shows that people's odds of being diagnosed with dementia differ significantly across different parts of the U.S. Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, led the study, published Monday in JAMA Neurology. They analyzed the medical records of veterans, finding that dementia rates were noticeably higher in the Southeast, Northwest, and other regions, even after accounting for some possible factors like income. The findings suggest that deep-seated regional differences can contribute to dementia risk, the researchers say. Dementia is a growing public health issue, particularly among the elderly. More than 6 million Americans are living with dementia currently and a government-funded study this February projected that 42% of Americans over 55 will develop it in their lifetime. It's a complex condition, with most cases caused by a mix of environmental and/or genetic factors. But according to senior study author and neurologist Kristine Yaffe, there's been little research looking at how the risk of dementia can vary geographically, at least on a national level. Yaffe and her team had access to a dataset that had the potential to shed light on that: deidentified records from people enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration, the largest integrated healthcare system in the U.S. 'We realized the VA national data would allow for such an investigation as the VA has a uniform way of capturing data across the U.S.,' Yaffe, who is also chief of neuropsychiatry at the San Francisco VA healthcare system, told Gizmodo in an email. 'There are no other national healthcare systems that have this.' Yaffe's team studied the health of more than 1.2 million randomly selected VA patients 65 years and older who had no pre-existing dementia. These people were followed for an average length of 12 years. After adjusting for age, dementia rates were lowest in the Mid-Atlantic region, covering states like Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. Using this as a baseline, the researchers found that dementia rates were 25% higher in the Southeast (Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama); 23% higher in both the Northwest (Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) and the Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Montana, and the Dakotas); 18% higher in the South (Texas, New Mexico, and Louisiana); 13% higher in the Southwest (California, Nevada, and Arizona); and 7% in the Northeast (New York). 'This is a very large difference, especially given that these are all veterans with care at the VAHS,' Yaffe said. 'It was really surprising we saw such big differences.' The researchers reasoned that factors such as a person's average level of education, how rural a state was, or the rate of other health conditions like heart disease within these states might explain most of the variance they found. But even when they adjusted for these variables, the patterns barely budged at all. That could mean there are other reasons—reasons not so easily captured through medical records alone—why someone in New Jersey will tend to have a lower risk of dementia than a similar person in Kentucky. 'It's possible that the differences are explained by lifelong differences in things like education quality (vs quantity) and social determinants of health might be driving some of the differences,' Yaffe said. The findings now leave open more questions to be answered, which the team plans to start digging into. With any luck, the lessons they learn might help us find new ways to better prevent dementia.
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
How high is your risk of dementia? It may depend on where you live
How high is your risk of dementia? It might depend on where you live, according to a new study of U.S. veterans. A team at U.C. San Francisco said Monday that it had identified the regions where the chronic brain disorder occurs most often. Using the Mid-Atlantic region as the baseline for comparison, where dementia incidence rates were the lowest, they found that dementia was 25 percent higher in the Southeast. That included Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. Whereas, the Northwest and Rocky Mountain regions were both 23 percent higher. Other regions included in the study – one of the largest and most comprehensive of its kind – were the South and Southwest, which were 18 and 13 percent higher, respectively. California was included in the Southwest. The Northeast incidence rates were still higher than the Mid-Atlantic, but just by 7 percent. 'The study underscores the need to understand regional differences in dementia and the importance of region-specific prevention and intervention efforts,' UCSF Director of the Center for Population Brain Health Dr. Kristine Yaffe said in a statement. Yaffe was the senior author of the study, which was published in the journal JAMA Neurology. The study included the health records from more than 1.2 million veterans, noting that veterans have a higher prevalence of risk factors such as traumatic brain injuries, depression, and post-traumatic stress. The researchers found that the differences remained when they accounted for certain factors, including age, race, and cardiovascular disease. They noted that access to medical care may be more difficult in rural areas, compared with urban areas. Previous research has found higher rates of dementia in rural communities. Recently, other UCSF researchers found that proteins in spinal fluid may be the key to understanding why middle-aged people develop dementia. The onset of dementia is known to be tied to depression, but different types have their own causes. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form, impacting some 6.7 million Americans. Cases are estimated to double by the year 2060. There is currently no cure. The next step for these researchers is to investigate what the factors driving these differences are. They said they hoped that, by identifying areas with the highest incidence rates, resources can be better allocated and targeted interventions designed to mitigate the impact of dementia on vulnerable populations. 'Quality of education, early life conditions, and environmental exposures may be among those factors,' said first author Dr. Christina Dintica.
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
Where you live may affect your risk of dementia, UCSF study finds
In a major national study led by UCSF researchers, dementia rates among older Americans were found to vary sharply by region, with the Southeast facing the greatest burden and the Bay Area's broader region faring somewhat better. Published Monday in JAMA Neurology, the study drew on health records from more than 1.2 million veterans age 65 and older, served by the Veterans Health Administration, the largest integrated health system in the U.S. It is one of the largest efforts to date to chart geographic patterns in dementia, and its findings could guide how public health officials respond to one of the most pressing challenges of an aging population. Using the Mid-Atlantic region — including states such as Pennsylvania and Virginia — as the baseline, UCSF researchers found that dementia incidence was 25% higher in the Southeast, which includes Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. Rates in the Northwest and Rocky Mountains were 23% higher, and in the South, including Texas and New Mexico, 18% higher. California was part of the Southwest region, which showed a 13% higher rate of dementia compared to the Mid-Atlantic. The Northeast, including New York and New England states, was 7% higher. 'The study underscores the need to understand regional differences in dementia and the importance of region-specific prevention and intervention efforts,' said senior author Dr. Kristine Yaffe, a professor at UCSF and the San Francisco VA Health Care System. 'Quality of education, early life conditions, and environmental exposures may be among those factors,' she said. The authors noted some limitations in the study, including that veterans 'may not be entirely representative of the general U.S. population, particularly regarding sex and gender distribution,' and have a higher prevalence of dementia risk factors, including traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress and depression. However, despite adjusting for race, age, cardiovascular disease and rurality, the regional patterns remained, highlighting the importance of local context in both risk and response, the authors added.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Health
- Newsweek
Which US States Have the Highest Risk of Dementia?
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Your risk of developing dementia may be more closely tied to your ZIP code than you think, according to a large-scale study of U.S. military veterans aged 65 and older. Analyzing health data from over 1.2 million veterans who received care through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) between 1999 and 2021, researchers found that where someone lives can significantly influence their chances of developing dementia—even after accounting for age, race, heart disease, diabetes, and whether they lived in rural or urban areas. The study revealed stark regional differences. Veterans living in the Southeast faced the highest risk, with dementia rates 25 percent higher than those living in the Mid-Atlantic, the region with the lowest rates. Other high-risk areas included the Northwest and Rocky Mountains, where dementia risk was 23 percent higher than in the Mid-Atlantic. The South, Southwest and South Atlantic also showed elevated rates. The researchers measured how many new cases of dementia were diagnosed each year per 1,000 people. In the Southeast, that number was 14 cases per 1,000 person-years, while in the Mid-Atlantic it dropped to just 11.2. Even after adjusting for factors like demographics, rurality and cardiovascular conditions, the regional patterns remained consistent. "The study underscores the need to understand regional differences in dementia and the importance of region-specific prevention and intervention efforts," said senior author Dr. Kristine Yaffe, also of the San Francisco VA Health Care System, in a statement. What Might Be Driving the Regional Differences? Researchers explored why dementia rates varied so widely across regions, and several key factors may help explain the gap. Although health, age, and environment clearly play a role, the data showed that geographic location remained a strong predictor even after accounting for those variables, suggesting there's more going on beneath the surface. Potential Factors Influencing Dementia Risk: Education: Lower educational attainment was more common in regions with higher dementia rates. Health Conditions: Chronic illnesses such as stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity were more prevalent in higher-risk areas like the Southeast. Lifestyle and Environment: Smoking and other regional lifestyle patterns may contribute. Access and Quality of Health Care: While the VHA generally offers more equal care across regions, differences in resources and specialty care at individual VA centers may affect how—and whether—dementia is diagnosed. Diagnosis Practices: Studies using Medicare data suggest that how often and how well dementia is diagnosed can vary, not just because of patient health but also due to how local health systems operate. Hidden Variables: Some important influences—such as quality of early-life education or early signs of cognitive decline not captured in health records—may not show up in administrative data but could still drive long-term risk. A stock image of a doctor visiting a senior man to check his health. A stock image of a doctor visiting a senior man to check his health. Photodjo/iStock / Getty Images Plus All-in-all, the study makes one thing clear: location matters. While individual lifestyle choices and genetics remain important, where you live could shape your brain health more than previously understood. These findings underscore the need for more localized research and targeted interventions, especially in regions facing higher dementia burdens. Understanding why dementia hits harder in some areas than others is essential—not only for treating the disease but also for preventing it in the first place. Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about dementia? Let us know via science@ Reference Dintica, C. S., Bahorik, A. L., Xia, F., Boscardin, J., & Yaffe, K. (2025). Regional differences in dementia incidence among US veterans. JAMA Neurology.
