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Differences in Mortality Associated with Dementia in U.S. Blacks and Whites
Richard Frank Gillum, Thomas Olabode Obisesan. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2011-09-13
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
From 1999 to 2004, the U.S. age-adjusted annual death rate per 100,000 for dementia was 628 in blacks and 647 in whites. The difference between rates in blacks and whites ranged from -130 deaths per 100,000 (-36%) in the Middle Atlantic region to +55 (+8%) in the South Atlantic division. Blacks had higher rates in three divisions and whites in five. In the Middle Atlantic and in the United States as a whole, blacks were relatively more likely to receive a diagnosis of unspecified dementia or senility (66%) than Alzheimer's disease (30%) than whites (58% and 41%, respectively). Although overall rates were similar, geographic variation in racial differences in rates of death with dementia occurred between U.S. regions. Further research is needed to assess geographic and racial variation in artifacts of certification versus biological variation as possible causes of variation to enhance utility of mortality data for disease monitoring and health-disparities research.
Key findings
- From 1999 to 2004, the U.S. age-adjusted annual death rate per 100,000 for dementia was 628 in blacks and 647 in whites.
- The difference between rates in blacks and whites ranged from -130 deaths per 100,000 (-36%) in the Middle Atlantic region to +55 (+8%) in the South Atlantic division.
- Blacks had higher rates in three divisions and whites in five.
- In the Middle Atlantic and in the United States as a whole, blacks were relatively more likely to receive a diagnosis of unspecified dementia or senility (66%) than Alzheimer's disease (30%) than whites (58% and 41%, respectively).
- Although overall rates were similar, geographic variation in racial differences in rates of death with dementia occurred between U.S. regions.
Why it matters
From 1999 to 2004, overall dementia death rates were similar in US Blacks and Whites, but the racial difference varied by region. Blacks were relatively more likely to receive a diagnosis of unspecified dementia or senility than Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 32/100
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.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of the American Geriatrics Society) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of the American Geriatrics Society: journal h-index 344 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| 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 | 1 / 5 | 2011 — within 20 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 | 2 / 7 | Cited 14 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.8 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 1.0× 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 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Thomas Olabode Obisesan: h-index 60 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Howard University: institution h-index 335 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 22091495) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 32 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03598.x
- PubMed: 22091495
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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
Gillum, R. F., & Obisesan, T. O. (2011). Differences in Mortality Associated with Dementia in U.S. Blacks and Whites. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03598.x
Vancouver
Gillum RF, Obisesan TO. Differences in Mortality Associated with Dementia in U.S. Blacks and Whites. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2011. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03598.x. PMID: 22091495.
BibTeX
@article{gillum2011-22091495,
author = {Gillum, Richard Frank and Obisesan, Thomas Olabode},
title = {{Differences in Mortality Associated with Dementia in U.S. Blacks and Whites}},
journal = {Journal of the American Geriatrics Society},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03598.x},
pmid = {22091495},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03598.x}
}
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