Dhillon Akum, Fazal Jawad
Department of Research and Health Innovation, Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi, ARE.
Department of Neurology, Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi, ARE.
Cureus. 2025 Apr 29;17(4):e83164. doi: 10.7759/cureus.83164. eCollection 2025 Apr.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a significant global health challenge, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) due to unique socio-economic, cultural, and environmental factors. While AD is prevalent worldwide, MENA faces distinct challenges such as rapid urbanization, aging populations, and healthcare disparities, which exacerbate the disease's impact. Both non-modifiable factors like genetics and modifiable factors, including lifestyle and environmental exposures influence AD's prevalence and severity across the region. The economic burden of AD significantly impacts family and societal structures. The need for enhanced research, early diagnosis, culturally tailored healthcare interventions, and robust public health policies to manage and mitigate AD in MENA is apparent. Applying lessons from international contexts to the MENA region and advocating for a multi-faceted approach that integrates medical, social, and policy efforts should help combat this growing health crisis effectively. This comprehensive review assesses the epidemiology, risk factors, and barriers to optimal care for AD across the MENA region, revealing a critical need for region-specific public health strategies.
阿尔茨海默病（AD）对全球健康构成了重大挑战，特别是在中东和北非（MENA）地区，这是由于独特的社会经济、文化和环境因素所致。虽然AD在全球范围内普遍存在，但中东和北非地区面临着诸如快速城市化、人口老龄化和医疗保健差距等独特挑战，这些因素加剧了该疾病的影响。遗传等不可改变因素以及包括生活方式和环境暴露在内的可改变因素，都会影响该地区AD的患病率和严重程度。AD的经济负担对家庭和社会结构产生了重大影响。显然，在中东和北非地区，需要加强研究、早期诊断、针对文化定制的医疗保健干预措施以及强有力的公共卫生政策，以管理和减轻AD的影响。将国际背景下的经验教训应用于中东和北非地区，并倡导采取一种整合医疗、社会和政策努力的多方面方法，应有助于有效应对这一日益严重的健康危机。这一全面综述评估了中东和北非地区AD的流行病学、危险因素以及获得最佳护理的障碍，揭示了对针对该地区的公共卫生战略的迫切需求。
