By Rebecca Weber, M.S., CCC-SLP, CBIS
In the 2022 edition of Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures, a special report titled More Than Normal Aging: Understanding Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) highlighted how familiar Americans are with MCI and explored why some may or may not seek an early Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Research shows that being aware of dementia risk factors and getting an early diagnosis has significant benefits. It made me wonder: why is early diagnosis so important?
A survey of 2,434 U.S. adults (ages 18+) revealed 12 key reasons people would seek an early Alzheimer’s diagnosis:
- 70%: It allows me and my family to plan for the future.
- 70%: It allows for earlier treatment of symptoms.
- 67%: I could begin health measures to preserve existing function.
- 66%: It helps me understand what is happening.
- 61%: I could start treatment with newly approved medications.
- 55%: I could address safety concerns ahead of time.
- 54%: It encourages my family to seek education and support.
- 52%: It gives me time to assemble medical and caregiving teams.
- 48%: It helps rule out reversible causes.
- 47%: It allows better management of other conditions.
- 43%: I could participate in clinical trials.
- 4%: Other reasons.
On the flip side, here are 8 reasons people might avoid seeking an early diagnosis:
- 34%: A diagnosis would be hard for me to accept.
- 31%: Treatment options are limited.
- 28%: There’s no cure, so it doesn’t matter.
- 26%: People would treat me differently if I were diagnosed.
- 19%: I can manage problems with lifestyle changes.
- 17%: A diagnosis might be inaccurate.
- 13%: Tests for Alzheimer’s may not be covered by insurance.
- 10%: Diagnosing Alzheimer’s involves many tests.
Despite these concerns, 85% of Americans say they would want to know if they had Alzheimer’s, with 54% wanting to know during the MCI stage and 31% during the mild Alzheimer’s stage. However, 82% of U.S. adults reported that they are not familiar with MCI at all.
Given what we know about the importance of early diagnosis, it’s critical to raise awareness about MCI, its causes, and the benefits of early detection. We also need to address the stigma around Alzheimer’s and other cognitive diagnoses, while normalizing the process to benefit all members involved.
Are you or a loved one noticing changes in memory or thinking? At Navigating Neuro Speech Therapy, I can help with recommendations, strategies, and a plan to move forward.
Why wait!? Support is right here. Contact us today!
*You can visit alzheimers-facts-and-figures-special-report-2022.pdf for the full report.