• Dylan Wang, Rohan K Mangal, Anjali Daniel, Murdoc Gould, Thor S Stead, and Latha Ganti.
• Trinity Preparatory School, Winter Park, FL, USA.
• J Natl Med Assoc. 2024 Apr 1; 116 (2 Pt 1): 170173170-173.

Background/ObjectiveAlzheimer's disease is a prominent neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline and memory loss. Variations in subjective cognitive decline among Alzheimer's patients, often reported by caregiver, may stem from cultural, socioeconomic, healthcare access, and genetic factors. This study investigates racial disparities in subjective cognitive decline reported by caregivers and their implications.MethodsIn this study, data from 12,627 Alzheimer's caretakers from the CDC's Alzheimer's Disease and Healthy Aging Data Portal were analyzed using JMP software. Caregivers reported patients' cognitive decline for various racial categories: Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, Native American/Native Alaskan, and White. Fit model tests and distribution analyses were employed to assess disparities in symptom severity. The study focused on four key questions regarding symptom prevalence and healthcare communication to assess the degree of symptoms the patients were experiencing.ResultsSignificant disparities in symptom severity reported by Alzheimer's caretakers were observed among the racial groups analyzed. The symptom severity ranked from least to most severe is the following: White, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Native American/Native Alaskan, and Hispanic patients. There was variance when it came to communication with healthcare providers, as the Asian population had the lowest communication rates. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions considering cultural differences. It is important that tailoring healthcare approaches for different racial backgrounds is happening as a remedy to this gap in communication.ConclusionDue to cultural, socioeconomic, genetic factors, and others, there were significant observed disparities. Tailoring interventions to these diverse populations is crucial to address these inequities.Copyright © 2024 National Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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