Global, regional, and national health inequalities of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease in 204 countries, 1990–2019

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD), pose growing global health challenges. Socio-demographic and economic development acts paradoxically, complicating the process that determines how governments worldwide designate policies and allocate resources for healthcare.

We extracted data on ADRD and PD in 204 countries from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 database. Health disparities were estimated using the slope index of inequality (SII), and concentration index (CIX) based on the socio-demographic index. Estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were employed to evaluate temporal trends.

Globally, the SII increased from 255.4 [95% confidence interval (CI), 215.2 to 295.5)] in 1990 to 559.3 (95% CI, 497.2 to 621.3) in 2019 for ADRD, and grew from 66.0 (95% CI, 54.9 to 77.2) in 1990 to 132.5 (95% CI, 118.1 to 147.0) in 2019 for PD; CIX rose from 33.7 (95% CI, 25.8 to 41.6) in 1990 to 36.9 (95% CI, 27.8 to 46.1) in 2019 for ADRD, and expanded from 22.2 (95% CI, 21.3 to 23.0) in 1990 to 29.0 (95% CI, 27.8 to 30.3) in 2019 for PD. Age-standardized disability-adjusted life years displayed considerable upward trends for ADRD [EAPC = 0.43 (95% CI, 0.27 to 0.59)] and PD [0.34 (95% CI, 0.29 to 0.38)].

Globally, the burden of ADRD and PD continues to increase with growing health disparities. Variations in health inequalities and the impact of socioeconomic development on disease trends underscored the need for targeted policies and strategies, with heightened awareness, preventive measures, and active management of risk factors.