Emily Chan
In some areas, adults were twice as likely to get diagnosed compared to areas with the lowest diagnosis rates.
The inequalities were most notable for adults between 66 and 74 years old and for Black and Hispanic individuals.
The rates of diagnosis across the country followed a pattern that suggested local healthcare systems were behind the disparities.
Moving forward, researchers must work on determining what factors within the systems are driving the variations. They could be anything from physician training to the availability of memory clinics.
Experts also need to figure out if there are any best practices from high-performing zones that should be implemented, as well as identify and eliminate any systemic barriers. Doing so can make a significant difference in public health.
With almost seven million Americans diagnosed with dementia and a population that is continuing to age, it is more important than ever to close these geographic gaps in diagnosis and make sure that all older adults receive equitable care.
“The goal these days should be to identify people with cognitive issues earlier, yet our data show the younger age group of Medicare participants is the one with the most variation,” said Bynum.
“For communities and health systems, this should be a call to action for spreading knowledge and increasing efforts to make services available to people.”
“And for individuals, the message is that you may need to advocate for yourself to get what you need, including cognitive checks.”
The study was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.
