Study: Living in disadvantaged neighborhoods linked to higher dementia risk

Americans who live in neighborhoods with less socioeconomic advantage may have a higher risk of dementia, according to a new study (Source: “Living in disadvantaged neighborhoods linked to higher dementia risk, study finds,” Stat news, July 20).

The study, published this week in JAMA Neurology, is the first to connect neighborhood disadvantage with a higher risk for dementia in a large, diverse population, building on previous research that found similar links in smaller, more homogenous groups in Minnesota and northern California.

The increased dementia risk can be true regardless of an individual’s background, according to the study, which found that people living in areas of the U.S. with the lowest levels of income, education, employment and housing quality had a 1.17 times higher risk of developing dementia compared to residents of the least disadvantaged areas.  

The fact that people living in more disadvantaged neighborhoods tend to face more stressors and have fewer resources — factors that are associated with many adverse health outcomes — may explain part of the link with dementia, according to researchers. People in less-advantaged areas may also have limited access to activities that the study’s researchers say can be good for brain health, such as crafting or using computers.