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Chicago ZIP Code-Linked Area Deprivation Index as a Predictor of Dementia Diagnosis
Tessa Brummel. University of Chicago, 2026-06-04
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Dementia risk is influenced by biological and lifestyle factors as well as broader socioeconomic conditions; however, the extent to which socioeconomic deprivation creates structural exposures that affect cognitive aging remains unclear. In this study, we examined whether a neighborhood-level, integrative measure of socioeconomic deprivation, the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), is associated with dementia diagnosis in the City of Chicago using archival data from neuropsychological evaluations from 2017-2025. We hypothesized that higher ADI would be associated with increased odds of dementia diagnosis, even after adjusting for individual-level demographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, and education. While ADI was associated with dementia diagnosis in partially adjusted models, this relationship was attenuated and no longer significant after accounting for individual-level factors. These findings suggest that neighborhood deprivation may not independently predict dementia risk, but instead reflects broader socioeconomic conditions, such as education, that are associated with cognitive outcomes.
Key findings
- In this study, we examined whether a neighborhood-level, integrative measure of socioeconomic deprivation, the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), is associated with dementia diagnosis in the City of Chicago using archival data from neuropsychological evaluations from 2017-2025.
- We hypothesized that higher ADI would be associated with increased odds of dementia diagnosis, even after adjusting for individual-level demographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, and education.
- While ADI was associated with dementia diagnosis in partially adjusted models, this relationship was attenuated and no longer significant after accounting for individual-level factors.
- These findings suggest that neighborhood deprivation may not independently predict dementia risk, but instead reflects broader socioeconomic conditions, such as education, that are associated with cognitive outcomes.
Why it matters
Neighborhood deprivation was linked to dementia diagnosis in partially adjusted models, but this link was no longer significant after accounting for individual factors like education. This suggests neighborhood deprivation may not independently predict dementia risk.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 30/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record and senior author's track record, so those were left out: it earned 28 of the 92 points we could judge it on, which is 30 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (University of Chicago) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Tessa Brummel holds only 1 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Chicago: institution h-index 1,769 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 28 / 92 | Scored on 18 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 28 of the 92 points we could judge it on is 30 out of 100. |
| Total | 30 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Brummel, T. (2026). Chicago ZIP Code-Linked Area Deprivation Index as a Predictor of Dementia Diagnosis. University of Chicago. https://doi.org/10.6082/bgsk1-hdy79
Vancouver
Brummel T. Chicago ZIP Code-Linked Area Deprivation Index as a Predictor of Dementia Diagnosis. University of Chicago. 2026. doi:10.6082/bgsk1-hdy79.
BibTeX
@article{brummel2026-f1f95d24,
author = {Brummel, Tessa},
title = {{Chicago ZIP Code-Linked Area Deprivation Index as a Predictor of Dementia Diagnosis}},
journal = {University of Chicago},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.6082/bgsk1-hdy79},
url = {https://doi.org/10.6082/bgsk1-hdy79}
}
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