Alarming! Cases of Alzheimer's are rising in both rural and urban America.
New study reveals that many rural communities may be quietly missing Alzheimer’s diagnoses due to limited hospital access and specialist shortages, as they often lack hospitals and dementia specialists, forcing older patients to travel farther for diagnosis and treatment.
A new analysis of more than 422,000 patients reveals a stark Alzheimer’s care gap or difference between Maryland’s urban and rural communities.
Areas with higher Alzheimer’s death rates have surprisingly low diagnosis rates, suggesting many cases may never be identified or undetected.
More than 90% of large hospitals are located in urban areas. That leaves rural hospitals operating with fewer resources and extremely tight financial margins.
Because of this imbalance, rural patients often have to travel much farther to receive medical attention. Many of these patients are over 80 years old, making long trips for care especially difficult.
The findings highlight how access to healthcare can strongly influence health outcomes, offering a clear example of challenges that many rural communities across the United States face.
Alzheimer's disease currently affects more than 6.9 million Americans. The Alzheimer's Association estimates that the number of cases could double by 2060.
The new research published in the journal 'Society for Risk Analysis' suggests that location can play a major role in whether someone receives a timely diagnosis and proper treatment or whether their condition goes undetected.