Key points
- A PAHO study estimates that nearly 470 million people in the Americas live with at least one neurological disorder.
- The conditions include migraine, stroke, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Researchers say declining death rates mean more people are surviving but require long-term care and rehabilitation.
- The study identifies high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use and environmental pollution as major preventable risk factors.
Main story
Nearly 470 million people across North and South America are living with at least one neurological disorder, according to a new study by researchers at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), a regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The study, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, estimates that about two in every five people in the region are affected by conditions such as migraine, stroke, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.
In a statement on Wednesday, PAHO said neurological disorders affect the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves, impairing movement, memory, learning, communication and behaviour.
The researchers found that age-adjusted death rates from neurological disorders have declined since 1990, allowing more people to survive these conditions but increasing the need for rehabilitation, long-term care and support services.
However, access to such care varies significantly across the region.
The study reported nearly a fourfold difference in disease burden between countries with the highest and lowest rates, measured by years of life lost to disease.
Haiti, Guyana and Suriname recorded the highest burden, while Colombia, Peru and Argentina had the lowest.
According to the researchers, the disparities reflect differences in exposure to risk factors and unequal access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and long-term care.
PAHO said many neurological disorders could be prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors, including high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use and harmful environmental exposures such as lead and air pollution.
The study estimated that neurological disorders were responsible for about 1.1 million deaths and 37.5 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) across the Americas in 2023, accounting for about 12 per cent of the total burden of noncommunicable diseases and injuries in the region.
The issues
An ageing population and increasing survival rates are driving demand for long-term neurological care, highlighting the need for stronger prevention strategies, expanded rehabilitation services and greater investment in primary healthcare.
What’s being said
“Today, more people are surviving neurological disorders, but they are also living longer with their consequences.” — Ramón Martínez, PAHO Health Metrics Specialist and lead author of the study
What’s next
The researchers recommend expanding prevention programmes, integrating neurological care into primary healthcare systems and increasing access to rehabilitation, long-term care and disability support services as populations continue to age.
Bottom line
The study highlights the growing burden of neurological disorders across the Americas and underscores the need for stronger prevention efforts and improved access to long-term care to meet rising healthcare demands.
