Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and related health conditions among American Indian and Alaska Native Medicare beneficiaries.

INTRODUCTION

Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and its associated factors are not well understood in the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population.

METHODS

We analyzed Medicare 2019 data for 112,280 AI/AN and 1,010,862 White beneficiaries aged 68+, examining the prevalence of ADRD-related health conditions and their associations with ADRD through logistic regressions.

RESULTS

AI/AN beneficiaries had higher age-adjusted ADRD prevalence (15.6% vs. 13.3%), and a higher prevalence of 5 of 9 Lancet risk factors: diabetes, alcohol use disorder (AUD), tobacco use disorder, visual and hearing impairments. Traumatic brain injury (TBI), AUD, and visual and hearing impairments had stronger associations with ADRD among AI/AN beneficiaries, while depression, diabetes, and hypertension had stronger associations among White beneficiaries.

DISCUSSION: Our findings highlight disparities in ADRD and related health conditions between AI/AN and White beneficiaries, potentially due to social and systematic health-care inequalities. Addressing these gaps requires culturally tailored prevention and care strategies.