Abstract
Dementia is a growing public health problem in the U.S. and globally. However, only 20-30% of Americans with dementia are accurately diagnosed with this condition; 50% are exposed to inappropriate medications; only 7% receive specific anti-dementia therapy; and 33% use acute care services at least once every 6 months. The gap in care is magnified among racial and ethnic minority groups. Black and Hispanic Americans have higher rates of missed diagnosis and longer time to diagnosis despite having a higher prevalence of Alzheimer's Disease. Women are disproportionately affected by the disease, as they represent higher number of patients and caregivers.
In recent years, there has been growing interest in social determinants of health (SDoHs) from healthcare to public policy fields. SDoHs are defined as non-medical factors that have significant impact on a person's health and longevity, and include factors such as social connections, racism, poverty, ageism, and unhealthy environment. While much effort has been made to understand the biological determinants of dementia, the SDoHs of dementia are poorly understood. In this session, we will review the SDoHs of dementia and their assessment, putative psychosocial and biological mechanisms, and strategies for prevention and intervention. We will discuss both adverse and positive SDoHs related to dementia. Finally, we will elaborate on the clinical and policy implications of the SDoH of dementia.