Poverty And Disadvantage Fuel NZ’s Rising Rates Of Dementia

New research demonstrates that social disadvantage is a factor fuelling Aotearoa New Zealand’s soaring rates of dementia.

In the latest Briefing from the Public Health Communication Centre, researchers reveal the risk of developing dementia is 60% higher for people living in the most deprived areas of NZ compared to those in the least deprived areas.

Dr ‘Etuini Ma’u and co-authors from the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland say research shows higher rates of risk factors for dementia are associated with increasing social disadvantage.

“Māori and Pacific peoples are overrepresented in the more disadvantaged areas of NZ society, with over 40% living in areas of high deprivation. These findings indicate that the higher risk and rates of dementia in Māori and Pacific peoples are not due to ethnicity per se but their overrepresentation in areas of high social disadvantage and poverty.”

Dr Ma’u says this presents opportunities for prevention with broader population-level approaches, such as policies addressing inequity, which could significantly reduce the number of people with dementia.

“We know the number of people living with dementia in NZ is expected to double in the next 20 years and triple in the same period for Māori and Pacific peoples. We know the 14 risk factors for the disease as outlined in the recently released Lancet Commission Report and we know good policy can change that trajectory.”

Dr Ma’u says recent estimates indicate reducing 12 of the 14 risk factors in NZ by just 10% could result in 3,000 fewer people with dementia. “Most risk factors build up across a lifetime. It is their incremental and cumulative damage to the brain that eventually leads to dementia. This shows the importance of promoting brain health in early life and midlife, even when the immediate dementia risk is deemed to be low.”

While a lot of the narratives around dementia concentrate on individual behaviour changes, the Briefing authors say there is a need for effective policies and interventions to address the health inequities associated with poverty and social disadvantage. “We can also reduce dementia risk with targeted legislative and public health measures reducing availability and marketing of alcohol, tobacco, and unhealthy food, alongside urban planning that promotes exercise and social connection," says Dr Ma’u.

Note: The Public Health Communication Centre (PHCC) is an independently funded organisation dedicated to increasing the reach and impact of public health research in Aotearoa New Zealand. We work with researchers, journalists, and policymakers to ensure evidence is clearly communicated and accessible. We regularly publish public health expert commentary and analysis from across Aotearoa in The Briefing.

PHCC is hosted by the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, Wellington.

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