'GMA' cover story addresses how Alzheimer's disease disproportionately affects Hispanic community

The cover story addressed the importance of recognizing early signs of Alzheimer's in order to combat the disease
PUBLISHED DEC 31, 2023
Dr Rosie Curiel shared her expert opinion as correspondent Melissa Adan Vargas reported on Alzheimer's disease on the December 30, 2023 episode of GMA (med.miami.edu, @GMA/X)
Dr Rosie Curiel shared her expert opinion as correspondent Melissa Adan Vargas reported on Alzheimer's disease on the December 30, 2023 episode of GMA (med.miami.edu, @GMA/X)

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: ABC correspondent Melissa Adan Vargas reported on how Alzheimer's disease affected the Hispanic community for the cover story of the December 30 episode of 'Good Morning America'.

Introducing the topic, co-host Stephanie Ramos mentioned that Alzheimer's is "twice as likely" to affect elderly black Americans as "compared to their white counterparts," as data from the Alzheimer's Association suggests a disproportionate impact of the disease on marginalized communities.

Over 6 million Americans are suffering from Alzheimer's

Focusing on Latinos, Vargas' report stated that the disease affects "13% of the Hispanics who are 65 years or older," and that they are "1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed than their white counterparts."

She explained, "The cognitive disorder affects memory, thinking, and behavior.” Vargas further added, “According to doctors, along with age and family history, various health factors can play a part in the disease's development, among them [are] high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease."

Hispanic community's tendency to minimize symptoms

Dr Rosie Curiel, Associate Professor and the Chief of Cross-Cultural Neuropsychology at the University of Miami, pointed out to the ‘GMA’ correspondent, "The Hispanic community, as a culture, minimizes the way we address the symptoms of memory loss."

She expanded on her point as she said, "The symptoms are so mild, the person is living their day-to-day life, they're working, they're driving, etc and they are ignoring their symptoms because the culture says, 'It's okay. It's normal, it happens to everyone as we age.'"

This leads to missing early diagnosis and treatment of the disease within the community. According to an estimate, around 3.2 million Hispanics and Latinos are expected to suffer from Alzheimer's by 2060.

How to detect signs of Alzheimer's and dementia?

Doctors suggest that more attention should be paid to the elderly "when they develop symptoms [such as] memory loss - when they stop socializing, have difficulty in conversation and finding the right words."

"When we tend to not necessarily address it with a memory disorder specialist, there is a delay in really addressing the problem," said Dr Curiel.

However, detecting these signs is crucial. According to the report, early detection is the key to battle the disease.

Vargas concluded the report by urging viewers who have concerns for themselves or a loved one to get evaluated. "It may seem scary, but help in dealing with Alzheimer's is out there," she stated.



 

MORE STORIES

The suspected shooter, Desmond Holly, a student at Evergreen High School, injured two students before turning the gun on himself
Sep 12, 2025
Iryna Zarutska’s boyfriend also questioned the qualifications of Judge Teresa Stokes, who released the suspect on cashless bail earlier this year
Sep 12, 2025
As other passengers rushed to aid Iryna Zarutska, Decarlos Brown Jr said, 'I got that White girl' while waiting for the train to stop and exit
Sep 10, 2025
According to a neighbor, Iryna Zarutska’s father was unable to attend her funeral on August 27 due to the war in Ukraine
Sep 9, 2025
Andrew Cabot, CEO of Privateer Rum, said through his spokesperson that his split from Kristin Cabot was 'private and amicable' before the concert
Sep 9, 2025
Decarlos Brown Jr, 35, attacked 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, pulling a blade and slashing her as she sat in front of him scrolling on her phone
Sep 8, 2025
Mayor Vi Lyles urged restraint after footage surfaced showing Decarlos Brown fatally stabbing 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s Blue Line
Sep 8, 2025
Jurupa Valley High School’s Alyssa McPherson and Hadeel Hazameh skipped a match in protest, saying safety and fairness had been compromised
Sep 7, 2025
Some critics of ‘Gender Jamboree’ claim the lessons go beyond age-appropriate boundaries and risk politicizing early childhood education
Sep 4, 2025
Rumors sparked outrage after claims spread that Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, appeared as a Shein model
Sep 4, 2025