On May 8, leading clinical and public health experts from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) along with community leaders in Alameda County discussed Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) disparities that exist in California. The event, a part of the Take On Alzheimer’s media campaign from the CDPH and was co-hosted by the Alameda County Department of Public Health (ACDPH). The speakers spoke of public health strategies to address these disparities, promote risk reduction and early detection, and support people living with ADRD and their caregivers.
Alzheimer’s: Second leading cause of death in CA
Alzheimer’s disease is the second leading cause of death in California according to the 2024 data from the California Department of Public Health. The number of California residents living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) is expected to double by 2040. While the state’s population is projected to grow in that time by 16%, the number of people living with Alzheimer’s is projected to grow by 127%, not including unreported cases.
Californians who live to be 65 or older have a one in six chance of developing Alzheimer’s, and a one in five chance of developing any kind of dementia. The primary risk factor for Alzheimer’s is age, and California is home to more adults aged 65 and older than any other state. While the majority of older adults will never experience dementia, 11% of the nation’s Alzheimer’s cases reside in California and that number is projected to double between 2019 and 2040, highlighting the need for awareness, education, and preparation.
Governor Newsom announced the creation of a task force to make recommendations on how California can prevent and prepare for the increase in cases of Alzheimer’s and other diseases that cause dementia.
South Asian Americans have lowest Dementia rate
As an overall group, Asian Americans account for 8.4% of dementia-related cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Asian Americans are a rapidly growing segment of the United States older population. By 2050, they will constitute over 7% of adults over age 65. In the study Heterogeneity in 14-Year Dementia Incidence Between Asian American Subgroups reported in Medical News Today, researchers compared rates of dementia among various Asian American communities. They found that in their sample size, the Filipino community had the highest rate of dementia, followed by Japanese and Chinese populations. South Asian Americans had the lowest rate of dementia. It is to be noted, however, that 97 percent of the South Asians that formed part of the sample size for this study were born outside the United States. “Although the point estimate for dementia incidence was low for South Asian Americans, the estimate was imprecise because of the small number of South Asian Americans,” said the researchers.
Primary risk factor for Alzheimer’s is age
“In the case of Californians those who identify as Latino/x and/or Black/African American the number is nearly triple,” said David K. Johnson, Ph.D, Professor of Neurology, UC Davis School of Medicine. Johnson is also the Director of California Alzheimer’s Disease Center, East Bay and the Principal Investigator, The Good Life Program for Healthy Aging.
Talking about dementia can reduce fear and increase understanding. “It’s most important to have partnerships with community organizations to allow people to have safe spaces to be able to talk openly and reduce the stigma. Ultimately, this will result in more people being screened and diagnosed earlier.” Jessie Spivey, Director of Elder Services, Oakland LGBTQ Community Center. “By educating Californians about the prevalence of Alzheimer’s Disease, we can build understanding around the relevant risk factors, reduce the negative impacts of stigma and work towards the goal of helping individuals improve their brain health. Taking on Alzheimer’s is going to create easily accessible, informationally accurate, and most importantly, culturally appropriate and inspiring conversations about memory loss and late life.”
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