Cognitive Impairment and Prevalence of Memory-Related Diagnoses among U.S. Older Adults

Yuting Qian, Xi Chen, Diwen Tang, Amy S. Kelley and Jing Li
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Yuting Qian: Yale University
Diwen Tang: Fudan University, China
Amy S. Kelley: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Jing Li: Singapore Management University

No 14098, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Cognitive impairment creates significant challenges to health and well-being of the fast-growing aging population. Early recognition of cognitive impairment may confer important advantages, allowing for diagnosis and appropriate treatment, education, psychosocial support, and improved decision-making regarding life planning, health care, and financial matters. Yet the prevalence of memory-related diagnoses among older adults with early symptoms of cognitive impairment is unknown. Using 2000-2014 Health and Retirement Survey - Medicare linked data, we leveraged within-individual variation in a longitudinal cohort design to examine the relationship between incident cognitive impairment and receipt of diagnosis among American older adults. Receipt of a memory-related diagnosis was determined by ICD-9-CM codes. Incident cognitive impairment was assessed using the modified Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status (TICS). We found overall low prevalence of early memory-related diagnosis, or high rate of underdiagnosis, among older adults showing symptoms of cognitive impairment, especially among non-whites and socioeconomically disadvantaged subgroups. Our findings call for targeted interventions to improve the rate of early diagnosis, especially among vulnerable populations.

Keywords: Medicare; dementia; cognitive aging; cognitive impairment; memory-related diagnosis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I11 I14 I18 J14 R20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 31 pages
Date: 2021-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-age, nep-hea and nep-neu
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Published - published as 'Prevalence of Memory-Related Diagnoses Among U.S. Older Adults With Early Symptoms of Cognitive Impairment' in: Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 2021, 76 (10), 1846 - 1853

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Working Paper: Cognitive Impairment and Prevalence of Memory-Related Diagnoses among U.S. Older Adults (2021)
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