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Alzheimer's Disease and Dementias

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Dementia causes serious loss of cognitive ability, including memory, communication and language, reason and judgment, and visual perception. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form, but all dementias go beyond the normal signs of aging to interfere with daily life, affecting millions of people each year. RAND experts analyze long-term care options and effectiveness, as well as how dementia impacts caregivers, society, and the economy.

News Release
Prevalence of Dementia Is Declining Among Older Americans; Inequalities Reduced but Still Persist
The prevalence of dementia in the United States is declining among people over age 65, dropping 3.7 percentage points from 2000 to 2016.
Nov 7, 2022
Report
Dementia in the National Security Workforce Could Create a Security Threat
Challenges associated with cognitive impairment in the workplace will increase as people continue to live longer and retire later. Individuals who work in national security and intelligence could become a security threat if they develop dementia and unwittingly share government secrets.
Apr 4, 2023

Explore Alzheimer's Disease and Dementias

Journal Article
Typologies of Dementia Caregiver Support Networks: A Pilot Study
This study suggests that there are different types of care and support networks available to caregivers to people with Alzheimer's Disease and Dementias, and that the size and structure of networks vary considerably among demographic groups.
Jun 13, 2023
Journal Article
Estimated Annual Spending on Lecanemab and Its Ancillary Costs in the US Medicare Program
To estimate annual Medicare spending on lecanemab, we performed a cost analysis using nationally representative survey data from the 2018 Health and Retirement Study (HRS).
May 17, 2023
Periodical
RAND Review: May-June 2023
The cover story commemorates RAND's 75th anniversary. One feature article explores what it would take to eliminate racial wealth disparities in the United States; another highlights a promising mental health first aid initiative in New York City.
May 12, 2023
Journal Article
Barriers and Facilitators to Home- and Community-Based Services Access for Persons With Dementia and Their Caregivers
Barriers to HCBS access for persons with dementia range from community and infrastructure barriers (e.g., clinicians and cultural differences), to interpersonal and individual-level barriers (e.g., caregivers, awareness, and attitudes).
May 4, 2023
Journal Article
A Pragmatic Parallel Arm Randomized-Controlled Trial of a Multi-Pronged Electronic Health Record-Based Clinical Decision Support Tool Protocol to Reduce Low-Value Antipsychotic Prescriptions Among Older Adults with Alzheimer's and Related Dementias
We designed a pragmatic randomized-controlled trial to measure the impact of a behavioral economic electronic health record (EHR) clinical decision support (CDS) intervention to reduce physician prescriptions of new antipsychotic medications among patients with ADRD.
May 4, 2023
Journal Article
Does Integration of Palliative Care and Infection Management Reduce Hospital Transfers Among Nursing Home Residents?
We evaluated integration of palliative care and infection management (i.e. merging the goals of palliative care and infection management at end of life) in nursing homes and its association with hospital transfers for residents with advanced illness.
Apr 11, 2023
Commentary
Advancing Women's Health Requires Better Evidence
For decades, advances in health and health care have had a bias toward the male body. By shifting the focus of research to women's bodies and building out this base of evidence on women's health, scientists and doctors can improve health outcomes and overall quality of life for women, all while also saving money.
Apr 10, 2023
Blog
Dementia and National Security, Finland Joins NATO, the Four-Day School Week: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the risk that dementia could pose to national security, Finland's NATO membership, the downside of a four-day school week, and more.
Apr 7, 2023
Blog
Dementia Rates, Deepfakes, Migrant Students: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the decline of dementia rates among Americans, the dangers of deepfakes, data privacy after the reversal of Roe v. Wade, and more.
Nov 18, 2022
Journal Article
Estimated Wasteful Spending on Aducanumab Dispensing in the U.S. Medicare Population: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Aducanumab, a weight-dosed Alzheimer's drug, is available in two fixed-dose vial sizes. This may result in large amounts of discarded drug and wasteful spending. More-efficient vial sizes could save Medicare money if the drug is approved for widespread use.
Aug 11, 2022
Blog
Synthetic Opioids, Ukrainian Grain, the Metaverse: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on countering the illegal flow of synthetic opioids, freeing up Ukrainian grain to prevent famine, the importance of defining the metaverse, and more.
Jun 24, 2022
Journal Article
Sleep Disturbances, Changes in Sleep, and Cognitive Function in Low-Income African Americans
In a predominantly African-American sample of older adults, worsening of sleep efficiency was associated with poorer cognitive function. Improving sleep health may support Alzheimer's prevention and reduce health disparities.
Jun 23, 2022
News Release
Poor Sleep and Nighttime Wakefulness Associated with Diminished Cognitive Function Among African Americans
More fragmented sleep and longer periods of wakefulness after bedtime among a group of low-income African American adults were associated with lower cognitive function such as poor attention and visuospatial ability. Improving sleep may support prevention of Alzheimer's and related dementias.
Jun 15, 2022
News Release
Research Project Will Probe Role of Structural Racism in Development of Dementias and Cognitive Decline Among African Americans
The RAND Corporation and the University of Pittsburgh will study residents of two predominantly Black neighborhoods in Pittsburgh to examine how exposure to the legacies of structural racism at the neighborhood and individual levels may contribute to the risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia in African Americans.
Mar 14, 2022
Periodical
RAND Review: March-April 2022
The cover story describes a yearlong study of a group of military veterans experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles. Other features examine the global digital skills gap and the magnitude and sources of disagreement among gun policy experts.
Mar 10, 2022
Report
Investment in Women's Health Research Could Reap Large Societal Benefits
The potential gains from women-focused research are substantial, given the limitations in knowledge about disease development and impacts for women relative to men. Savings would include increased life years, fewer disruptions to work productivity, and fewer years with disease and functional dependence.
Oct 11, 2021
News Release
Nearly a Third of Americans Use Gray Market When Hiring Caregivers for the Elderly and Those with Dementia
Nearly a third of Americans who arranged for paid care for an older person or someone with dementia employed workers who were not hired through a regulated agency.
Jun 21, 2021
Report
The Impact of Funding Brain Health Research Focused on Women
An examination of the impact of increased funding for research on Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease-related dementias in women showed that small investments in women's health research can yield large gains, including benefits above investing in general research.
Apr 22, 2021

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RAND Topic:
Alzheimer's Disease and Dementias

Topic Synonyms:
Neurocognitive Disorders

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Michael D. Hurd

Director, RAND Center for the Study of Aging

Michael Hurd is a senior principal researcher at the RAND Corporation, where he directs the RAND Center for the Study of Aging. His research interests cover a wide range of topics in the economics of aging including: the structure of private pensions and Social Security and their effects on…
Susann Rohwedder

Associate Director, RAND Center for the Study of Aging

Susann Rohwedder (she/her) is a senior economist at RAND, associate director of the RAND Center for the Study of Aging, and professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Her research focuses on the economics of aging in the areas of household consumption and saving behavior, retirement,…

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