Living in a poor neighborhood it increases the risk by more than 20%. develop Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, regardless of individual factors. It is the result of a study coordinated by University of California of San Francisco, presented at the Alzheimer’s Association Congress and published in Jama Neurology.
“Living in a socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhood has been shown to negatively affect health, various behaviors, stress levels, as well as access to food, safety, and education,” they write.
researchers
However, it is not clear how much this affects the risk of dementia.
research
The team analyzed data from more than 1.6 million Americans who belong to the Veterans Health Administration, linking their health status to the neighborhood of residence, classified based on an index that assesses the level of socioeconomic disadvantage.
“The study showed that, beyond the risk factors present at the individual level, the level of neighborhood disadvantage was negatively associated with brain health even in a population that, at least in theory, has equal access to care,” the research team said.
The statistics
In particular, compared to those who lived in the most affluent neighborhoods, people who lived in the most critical ones presented a the risk of developing the disease increased by 22%.
The mechanisms through which the living environment can influence brain health, according to the researchers, are many: for example “disadvantaged neighborhoods from the point of view
may have more stressors and fewer resources, which can hinder activities that are physically and psychologically beneficial.
Source : IL Messaggero
