Study Maps Alzheimer’s Hotspots in Rural Maryland With High Deaths, Low Diagnoses

Overview

• A University of Maryland team presented the spatial analysis on Dec. 8 at the Society for Risk Analysis meeting in Washington.
• Analysis of 422,735 Maryland patient records found mortality hot spots with low diagnosis rates on the Eastern Shore and in Western Maryland.
• More than 90% of larger hospitals are in urban areas, and rural communities face shortages of clinicians trained in dementia care.
• Older rural patients often travel much longer distances for evaluation and treatment, contributing to missed or delayed diagnoses.
• Spatial regression linked lower hospital access with higher poverty and elevated risks such as diabetes and heart disease, highlighting targets for outreach and investment.