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Alzheimer's Disease: Estimates of Prevalence in the United States

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Report Type Reports and Testimonies
Report Date Jan. 28, 1998
Report No. HEHS-98-16
Subject
Summary:

At least 1.9 million Americans age 65 years or older suffered from Alzheimer's Disease in 1995, more than half of whom experienced moderate to severe cases of the illness. The prevalence of Alzheimer's increases sharply with age: Most of the estimated 1.9 million cases were among persons aged 75 to 89. Projecting the number of persons with Alzheimer's Disease gives some indication of the long-term care and research challenges facing the United States as people grow older. On the basis of projections of longevity, GAO estimates that more than 2.9 million Americans will suffer from the disease by the year 2015; of these, 1.7 million will need active assistance in personal care. Because of the uncertainty surrounding current estimates of Alzheimer's Disease, several studies are now underway, supported by the National Institute on Aging, that should provide better estimates of the prevalence of Alzheimer's Disease among African-Americans, Hispanics, and other subpopulations.

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