TY - RPRT T1 - Cognitive Impairment and Prevalence of Memory-Related Diagnoses among U.S. Older Adults Y1 - 2021 A1 - Qian, Yuting A1 - Chen, Xi A1 - Tang, Diwen A1 - Amy Kelley A1 - Li, Jing KW - cognitive aging KW - cognitive impairment KW - Dementia KW - Medicare KW - memory-related diagnosis AB - 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. JF - GLO Discussion Paper PB - Global Labor Organization CY - Essen, Germany UR - https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/229436/1/GLO-DP-0777.pdf ER -