A new analysis reveals that more than half of all Americans-over 180 million people-are living with a neurological condition, underscoring the immense and increasing public health challenge posed by these disorders. The study, conducted by the American Academy of Neurology and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, examined data across 36 conditions, from common migraines to debilitating diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Researchers utilized data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study, a collaborative effort involving over 17,000 researchers worldwide, to assess the scope of neurological illness in the U.S.
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More than half of the U.S. population – over 180 million Americans – lives with a neurological condition, according to a new analysis from the American Academy of Neurology and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. The study highlights the significant and growing impact of neurological diseases on public health.
Researchers conducted a systematic analysis of data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study, a comprehensive assessment of health losses across regions and over time. This extensive study involved contributions from over 17,000 collaborators across 167 countries and territories.
The analysis evaluated rates of disability and death associated with 36 neurological conditions affecting the U.S. population. The findings reveal that 54% of Americans experience at least one of these conditions, signaling an urgent need for increased awareness and resources.
These 36 conditions span a lifetime, ranging from congenital anomalies and neurodevelopmental disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, to migraines, which often peak in a person’s thirties, and later-life illnesses like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
The most prevalent conditions identified in the study were tension headaches, affecting 122 million Americans, followed by migraines, impacting 58 million, and diabetic neuropathy, affecting 17 million individuals.
The prevalence of neurological conditions was found to be 43% higher among the U.S. population compared to the global average, largely due to the high rates of tension headaches. While tension headaches are common, they are generally less disabling than many other neurological conditions.
Despite the widespread nature of these 36 neurological diseases and disorders, the United States performs relatively well in preventing deaths and long-term disability resulting from them. For example, while stroke incidence is higher in the U.S. than in some other parts of the world, the mortality rate is comparatively lower.
The total years of life adjusted for disability (DALYs) attributable to neurological diseases and disorders in the U.S. increased by 55% between 1990 and 2021. However, when accounting for the aging of the U.S. population, the increase was considerably less pronounced. This suggests that a significant portion of the growing burden of neurological diseases is linked to the increasing age of Americans, who are more susceptible to conditions affecting the nervous system.
One limitation of the analysis was the exclusion of certain diseases and disorders that affect multiple organ systems, such as HIV, because isolating the neurological component proved difficult.
