African Americans are less likely than whites to seek predictive testing for Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Georgia and Boston University.

The researchers, led by Dr. Yvonne Hipps, surveyed approximately 450 adults, average age was 47, in an effort to determine attitudes and beliefs about the disease.

When asked if they would undergo testing if a test existed that could predict the onset of Alzheimer's with 100 percent accuracy, only 59 percent of African Americans surveyed showed an interest compared to 67 percent of whites..

Hipps and her colleagues, presenting at the annual meeting of the American Geriatrics Society, went on to say that further analysis showed that the interest in predictive testing was "significantly lower" among African Americans.

They concluded that further studies are warranted to better identify reasons for the difference between the groups.

Other Sources: American GeriatricsSociety