Racism raises Alzheimer’s risk for non-White Americans, HHS claims in new report

"Entrenched systemic racism" is a significant risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in non-White Americans, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) claimed in its 2022 update on how to fight the disease.

The HHS' "National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease" said Black, Hispanic and low-income populations are more likely to face health-related risk factors that contribute to Alzheimer’s and said this disparity is due to "structural inequities" that are the result of racism. Those inequities include "underinvestment in education systems, less walkable communities, decreased access to nutritious food, barriers to health care access and low quality of care in their communities."

The report recommended that one way to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s is to focus on "cultural competence and equity."