Title: Study Suggests Greater Impact of Dementia Risk Factors on Ethnic Minorities
A recent study published in the journal Plos One has revealed that the most common risk factors for dementia have a greater effect on black and Asian individuals compared to their white counterparts. The study, which analyzed health data from 865,674 adults in England between 1997 and 2018, found that 12.6% of the cohort developed dementia.
Among the participants, approximately 16% were white, 8.6% were south Asian, 12.1% were black, and 9.7% were from other minority ethnic groups. The research team discovered that risk factors such as high blood pressure, sleep disorders, diabetes, and high cholesterol had a greater impact on the risk of developing dementia among south Asian and black individuals compared to white individuals.
The findings lend support to previous observations of greater susceptibility, earlier onset of dementia, and shorter survival after diagnosis in ethnic minority groups. Experts are now calling for greater efforts to tackle health inequalities and the development of tailored dementia prevention strategies that take into account ethnicity and risk-factor profiles.
Although the study did not establish why these risk factors had a greater impact on ethnic minorities, researchers believe it may be related to the higher prevalence of risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes in these groups. This raises the importance of addressing these underlying health issues in these communities.
Moreover, another study conducted by UCL (University College London) suggests that people with early Alzheimer’s disease have difficulty turning when walking, indicating problems with navigation as some of the earliest noticeable changes in the disease. These findings further emphasize the urgency for a national cross-government prevention strategy to address health inequalities and reduce the impact of dementia on individuals and society.
In conclusion, the study highlights the need to address and reduce the impact of dementia risk factors on ethnic minority populations, particularly black and Asian individuals. By developing tailored prevention strategies that consider ethnicity and risk-factor profiles, greater progress can be made in tackling health inequalities and improving outcomes for all individuals affected by dementia.
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