Longitudinal Impacts of Precision Greenness on Alzheimer’s Disease

Background

The potential for greenness as a novel protective factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) requires further exploration.

Objectives

This study assesses prospectively and longitudinally the association between precision greenness - greenness measured at the micro-environmental level, defined as the Census block - and AD incidence.

Design

Older adults living in consistently high greenness Census blocks across 2011 and 2016 were compared to those living in consistently low greenness blocks on AD incidence during 2012–2016.

Setting

Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA.

Participants

230,738 U.S. Medicare beneficiaries.

Measurements

U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Chronic Condition Algorithm for AD based on ICD-9 codes, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, age, sex, race/ethnicity, neighborhood income, and walkability.

Results

Older adults living in the consistently high greenness tertile, compared to those in the consistently low greenness tertile, had 16% lower odds of AD incidence (OR=0.84, 95% CI: 0.76–0.94, p=0.0014), adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and neighborhood income. Age, neighborhood income and walkability moderated greenness’ relationship to odds of AD incidence, such that younger ages (65–74), lower-income, and non-car dependent neighborhoods may benefit most from high greenness.

Conclusions

High greenness, compared to low greenness, is associated with lower 5-year AD incidence. Residents who are younger and/or who reside in lower-income, walkable neighborhoods may benefit the most from high greenness. These findings suggest that consistently high greenness at the Census block-level, may be associated with reduced odds of AD incidence at a population level.