Alarming! The number of cases of Alzheimer’s disease is increasing in both rural and urban America.
A new analysis of more than 422,000 patients reveals a wide gap in Alzheimer’s care between urban and rural communities in Maryland.
Rural areas often lack hospitals and dementia specialists, forcing older patients to travel further for diagnosis and treatment.
Researchers found areas with high death rates for Alzheimer’s disease but surprisingly low diagnosis rates, suggesting that many cases may never be identified.
A statewide study shows that many rural communities may be quietly missing an Alzheimer’s diagnosis due to limited access to hospitals and shortage of specialists.
In some regions, high mortality rates combined with low diagnosis rates indicate that many cases of dementia are going undetected.
