More and More Older Americans Want to Know Their Alzheimer's Status, Survey Finds

A new national survey by the Alzheimer’s Association reveals that older Americans are increasingly proactive about knowing their Alzheimer’s status, with 79% saying they’d want to know before symptoms interfere with daily life. The majority support testing—91% are open to simple blood tests, and 80% would actively request one from a doctor.

 

Public health communicators should note this shift: more people now view early diagnosis as empowering, thanks to new treatments and easier testing. However, the trend also raises public health challenges, including a lack of provider training in delivering diagnoses and the need for protections against insurance or employment discrimination. Read more from NPR here.