Alzheimer’s burden greater in rural Appalachia, study finds

Alzheimer's burden greater in rural Appalachia, study finds
Alzheimer’s disease patients who live in Appalachia may find it harder to get care. Credit: The Ohio State University

Alzheimer’s disease is more common in rural Appalachian Ohio communities than in other rural areas in the state—raising concerns about access to early, specialized care in a region where many residents face struggles getting the medical care they need, a new study has found.

Researchers from The Ohio State University examined 11 years of federal Medicare data, ending in 2017, to compare the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders in Appalachian Ohio with other parts of the state. The research was published online this month in…

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