Black people are much more likely to have Alzheimer’s than any other race. For us, this is an issue of survival. What’s going on here?
Black folks face a higher risk of Alzheimers than our white counterparts. However, our brains decline much more slowly than theirs and the disease develops differently in our bodies.
But it’s still a MAJOR risk for us. Blacks who live in the following locations have an even HIGHER risk.
Those of us who live in Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee are the most likely to develop Alzheimer’s. These places have some of the most racist and violent histories against us.
These histories translate to greater inequalities in health, housing, education, and employment, and it means added stress, a major factor in developing the disease.
The following steps could be crucial in fighting this disease.
So what can help us fight this disease? High blood pressure and less schooling are associated with higher chances of getting it, so we should get our blood pressure in check, get as much education as we can beyond high school, and get rid of the shame surrounding Alzheimer’s by talking to each other about this disease.
Alzheimer’s is hitting our communities hard, and the medical establishment often mistreats and overlooks us. But the more we advocate and build for ourselves in health and in research, the closer we will get to improving our outcomes against this disease.