種族或許會影響患癡呆的風險
Race May Affect Risk for Dementia
種族或許會影響患癡呆的風險
Dementia rates can vary significantly among Americans of different racial and ethnic groups, even if they're in the same region of the country, a new study finds.
一項新研究發現，即使居住在美國同一地區的人，也會由於種族不同患癡呆症的機率差別很大。
Researchers analyzed data on more than 274,000 people from six racial and ethnic groups in Northern California who were members of Kaiser Permanente, a large private health care system.
研究者分析了北加利福尼亞州六個種族超過274000人的數據，這些人都來自一個私人醫療保健系統。
Using records of patient visits, the researchers found that the average annual rate of dementia was 26.6 cases per 1,000 for blacks; 22.2 per 1,000 for American Indians/Alaskan Natives; 19.6 per 1,000 for Hispanics and Pacific Islanders; 19.3 per 1,000 for whites; and 15.2 cases per 1,000 for Asian-Americans.
根據患者的來訪記錄，研究者發現每年平均患癡呆的比率是，黑人每1000人中26.6例；美國印第安人／阿拉斯加州的本地人每1000人中22.2例；西班牙和太平洋島上居民每1000人中19.6例；白人每1000人中19.3例；亞裔美國人每1000人中15.2例。
The researchers calculated that among people who reach age 65 without dementia, 38 percent of blacks, 35 percent of American Indians/Alaskan Natives, 32 percent of Hispanics, 30 percent of whites, 28 percent of Asian-Americans and 25 percent of Pacific Islanders would develop dementia in the next 25 years.
研究者計算得出，65歲以上未患癡呆的人中，38％的黑人，35%的美國印第安人／阿拉斯加州本地人，32%的西班牙人，30%的白人，28%的亞裔美國人，25%的太平洋島上居民，會在未來25年內患癡呆。
Even in the groups found to be at lowest risk, the lifetime risk of developing dementia is high, said principal investigator Rachel Whitmer, a research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. "In every racial and ethnic group, over one in four people who survive to age 65 can expect to be diagnosed with dementia in their lifetime."
即使是風險最低的羣體，一生當中患癡呆的風險也很高，凱撒醫療集團研究部門的一名科學研究員，也是這項研究的主要調查者Rachel Whitmer說。“無論哪一個種族的人羣，一旦過了65歲都有超過四分之一的人可能患癡呆症。”
"These findings underscore the need to better understand risk factors for dementia throughout life to identify strategies to eliminate these inequalities," Whitmer said in the news release. The next step is to learn what's behind the racial and ethnic differences in dementia rates.
“這些發現強調，爲了找到消除這些不平衡的策略，需要更好地理解患癡呆症原因，”Whitmer在新聞發佈會上說。下一步就是研究患癡呆症種族差異背後的原因。
"Based on the present study, we cannot determine the extent to which genetic or social and behavioral factors contribute to the observed patterns," Whitmer said. "But if social and behavioral factors are the primary pathways, these findings suggest substantial reductions in dementia incidence are possible."
“基於目前的研究，我們無法確定基因或社會和行爲因素究竟對目前觀察到的模式對換癡呆症起到多大的作用，”Whitmer說。“但是如果社會和行爲因素是重要的影響因素，那麼相關研究對於降低癡呆發生率將產生實質性作用。”
譯文屬原創，未經允許，不得轉載。
