The costs of Alzheimers care
Alzheimer's Long Reach
Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's.
More than 15 million
The number of Americans who provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer's or other dementias.
18.2 billion
The estimated number of hours of care provided by these caregivers in 2016.
35%
The percentage of caregivers for people with Alzheimer's or other dementia who report worsened health because of their care responsibilities.
19%
The percentage of caregivers for older people without dementia who report the same.
Source: 2017 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, Alzheimer's Association
Colorectal Cancer Rising Among Young
After decreasing in the previous decade, colon cancer incidence rates increased by 1% to 2.4% annually since the mid-1980s in adults ages 20 to 39 and by 0.5% to 1.3% since the mid-1990s in adults ages 40 to 54 years. Rectal cancer incidence rates have been increasing longer and faster for the young (3.2% annually from 1974 to 2013 in adults ages 20-29). In adults ages 55 and older, incidence rates generally declined since the mid-1980s for colon cancer and since 1974 for rectal cancer.
Source: Rebecca L. Siegel et al., "Colorectal Cancer Incidence Patterns in the United States, 1974–2013," Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Feb. 28, 2017
Drug Overdoses Climb
The age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2015 was more than 2.5 times (16.3 per 100,000) the rate in 1999.
The four states with the highest age-adjusted drug overdose death rates in 2015 were West Virginia (41.5), New Hampshire (34.3), Kentucky (29.9) and Ohio (29.9).
In 2015, the percentage of drug overdose deaths involving heroin (25%) was triple the percentage in 1999 (8%).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, February 2017
'Good' Cholesterol Tracks With Exercise
21%
The prevalence of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol among adults who did not meet recommended physical activity guidelines from 2011 to 2014.
17.7%
The prevalence of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol among adults who did meet recommended physical activity guidelines.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 2017