By Ijeoma Agbafo
Nearly 470 million people across North and South America are living with at least one neurological disorder, according to researchers with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), a specialised agency of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The figure, contained in a new study published in The Lancet Regional Health, Americas, represents about two in five people living in the Americas. The conditions include migraine, stroke, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease, which can affect movement, memory, learning, communication and behaviour.
The study found that age-adjusted death rates from neurological disorders have declined since 1990, meaning more people are surviving the conditions but increasingly require long-term care, rehabilitation and support services. However, access to such care remains unequal across the region, with nearly a fourfold difference between countries with the highest and lowest burden of neurological disorders.
In 2023, neurological disorders and their associated risk factors were responsible for an estimated 1.1 million deaths and 37.5 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in the Americas. Researchers identified high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use, lead exposure and air pollution as major risk factors, noting that a significant proportion of neurological health loss could be prevented by reducing exposure to them.
Ramón Martínez, PAHO Health Metrics Specialist and lead author of the study, said more people were surviving neurological disorders but were also living longer with their consequences, requiring health systems to expand rehabilitation, long-term care and disability support services.
The researchers called for stronger prevention measures, the integration of neurological care into primary healthcare and increased access to rehabilitation and long-term support. They noted that such investments would become increasingly important as populations across the Americas continue to age, helping to reduce disability and improve quality of life.
