Mapping disparities in access to lecanemab in Georgia (with Niying Li et al.).

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: The approval of lecanemab-irmb offers potential disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but geographical access barriers to infusion and amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging sites might prevent timely access to the drug. We examined disparities in access to lecanemab infusion sites and amyloid PET scan facilities in Georgia’s 159 counties. METHODS: Facility location maps were used to examine lecanemab access. We used drive time analysis to identify and map counties by drive time. RESULTS: No rural county had an amyloid PET scan center and only one had a lecanemab infusion center. Residents in rural counties need to drive > 1 hour on average to reach the nearest facility, which is statistically significantly longer than those in non-rural counties. DISCUSSION: Lack of access and long drive times pose health equity issues for those in rural counties, which already have a higher percentage of older residents and a higher prevalence of behavioral AD risk factors.