Date of Publication
1-24-2012
Abstract
Introduction: • Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a form of progressive dementia that affects 5.3 million Americans and is the sixth leading cause of death in the US. • Age is a major risk factor for disease , and 1 in 8 Americans over 65 can expect to develop AD. • The U.S. healthcare system spends $172 billion/year on patients with AD and dementia, more than half of the Medicare budget. This cost is estimated to increase to over $1 trillion by 2050. • In 2003, the US Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) concluded that screening older adults for dementia is ineffective due to insufficient means of preventing or slowing its progression. • In 2011, the National Institute on Aging published new diagnostic criteria for AD. • In accordance with these guidelines the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released rules for the new Annual Wellness Visit that include the detection of cognitive impairment. • Our goal was to identify the attitudes and practices of primary care physicians (PCPs) in Vermont (VT) related to screening for AD and dementia.
Advisor(s)
Jeanne Hutchins, MA, University of Vermont College of Medicine
William Pendlebury, MD, University of Vermont College of Medicine
Martha Richardson, Alzheimer's Association, Vermont Chapter
Agency
Alzheimer's Association Vermont Chapter
Subjects
Access to Health Services, Educational and Community-Based Programs, Older Adults, Dementias, Including Alzheimer's Disease, Health-Related Quality of Life & Well-Being
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License
Recommended Citation
Chow, Bryan; Coleman, Anne; Liebowitz, Daniel; Lindsay, Mairi; Minasyan, Hayk; Mollo, Michael; Russo, Ashley; Hutchins, Jeanne; Pendlebury, William; and Richardson, Martha, "Screening for Alzheimer’s Disease in Vermont Primary Care Practice" (2012). Public Health Projects, 2008-present. 64.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/64