THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ON THE FREQUENCY OF DIAGNOSIS AND CLINICAL COURSE OF NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW BASED ON CONTEMPORARY EVIDENCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5332Keywords:
Socioeconomic Status, Neurodegeneration, Diagnostic Disparities, Neurological Care, Health Inequities, Social Determinants of Health, NeuroepidemiologyAbstract
Socioeconomic status (SES) is increasingly recognized as one of the most powerful determinants shaping neurological health across the lifespan. Its influence extends far beyond traditional measures of income or occupation: it is an interconnected system of material resources, environmental exposures, educational opportunities, health literacy, neighborhood conditions, and access to medical care. In neurodegenerative diseases—such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and other chronic neurological conditions—SES is consistently linked to differences in disease risk, diagnostic timing, availability of treatment, and long-term disease outcomes. Individuals with lower SES face structural, environmental, and systemic barriers that delay access to neurological evaluation, limit participation in research, exacerbate disease progression, and restrict access to advanced therapies. These inequities persist across geographical, racial, and cultural contexts and are deeply rooted in institutional structures, historical patterns of discrimination, and uneven distribution of health-promoting resources. Drawing exclusively from validated studies and authoritative sources—including Neurology, Nature Reviews Neurology, the National Academies, and the European Academy of Neurology—this review synthesizes current evidence on the relationship between SES and neurodegenerative disease. It examines the mechanisms through which SES shapes vulnerability, diagnostic pathways, and clinical trajectories. Furthermore, it explores systemic failures within healthcare and research systems that reinforce disparities. By providing an integrated analysis grounded in contemporary science, this review aims to inform researchers, clinicians, and policymakers seeking to reduce inequities in neurological outcomes and improve population-level neurological health.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Piotr Pietrzyk, Aleksandra Jagiełło, Beata Szreder, Patrycja Krawczyk, Joanna Ślusarczyk, Natalia Stanek, Maja Łapaj, Zuzanna Noweta, Milena Lewicka, Tamara Chodań
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