PAHO study on neurological disorders in Americas

A study by the World Health Organization (PAHO), published in The Lancet Regional Health - Americas, estimates that nearly 470 million people in the Americas live with at least one neurological disorder, including migraine, stroke, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease. The study highlights that age-adjusted death rates have declined since 1990, leading to more survivors requiring long-term care. It identifies high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use, and environmental exposures as major preventable risk factors. The burden varies widely, with Haiti, Guyana, and Suriname having the highest rates, and Colombia, Peru, and Argentina the lowest. PAHO officials called for stronger prevention, integration of neurological care into primary healthcare, and expanded rehabilitation services.