Analysis of dementia in the US population using Medicare claims: Insights from linked survey and administrative claims data.

TitleAnalysis of dementia in the US population using Medicare claims: Insights from linked survey and administrative claims data.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsChen, Y, Tysinger, B, Crimmins, EM, Zissimopoulos, JM
JournalAlzheimers Dement (N Y)
Volume5
Pagination197-207
Date Published2019
ISSN Number2352-8737
KeywordsCognitive Ability, Dementia, Education, Medicare claims, Medicare linkage, Racial/ethnic differences
Abstract

Introduction: Medicare claims data may be a rich data source for tracking population dementia rates. Insufficient understanding of completeness of diagnosis, and for whom, limits their use.

Methods: We analyzed agreement in prevalent and incident dementia based on cognitive assessment from the Health and Retirement Study for persons with linked Medicare claims from 2000 to 2008 (N = 10,450 persons). Multinomial logistic regression identified sociodemographic factors associated with disagreement.

Results: Survey-based cognitive tests and claims-based dementia diagnosis yielded equal prevalence estimates, yet only half were identified by both measures. Race and education were associated with disagreement. Eighty-five percent of respondents with incident dementia measured by cognitive decline received a diagnosis or died within the study period, with lower odds among blacks and Hispanics than among whites.

Discussions: Claims data are valuable for tracking dementia in the US population and improve over time. Delayed diagnosis may underestimate rates within black and Hispanic populations.

DOI10.1016/j.trci.2019.04.003
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31198838?dopt=Abstract

Alternate JournalAlzheimers Dement (N Y)
Citation Key10150
PubMed ID31198838
PubMed Central IDPMC6556828
Grant ListP30 AG024968 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
P30 AG043073 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG055401 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States