Geospatial and temporal disparities in Alzheimer's disease deaths in Argentina

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias are currently among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide.

To analyze the spatial and temporal behavior of AD mortality in Argentina.

This is a retrospective eco-epidemiological study based on the Death Certificate between 1997-2017 provided by the Ministry of Health. The specific death rates (SDRs) related to AD were calculated per 1000 deaths (AD*1000) by gender and age at departmental, provincial, and regional levels for the entire period. The Join Point method was applied to analyze the temporal trend, and SaTScan software was used to establish geospatial disparities.

The highest SDRs were recorded in the departments, provinces, and regions located in the center of the country. At all administrative levels, female SDRs were almost twice as high as male SDRs. A positive secular trend in SDR was observed in all regions, with a significant increase between 1997-2002 and a less pronounced increase between 2003-2017. Clusters with the highest relative risks of AD death were located in the center of the country.

Following the global pattern, Argentina and all its regions show an increasing trend of AD deaths, with higher rates among women and older age groups. However, notable geospatial disparities attributed to population dynamics, migrations, and regional socioeconomic characteristics were identified.