Alzheimer’s Association has officially published the results from a new report, which reveals that, as the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease breaches the 7 million mark, nearly 4 in 5 Americans would want to know if they had Alzheimer’s disease before it impacted their lives.
Going by the available details, these respondents were also found wanting treatment, even if it comes with risks, as long as it slows the progression of the disease.
More on the new survey would reveal how it took into account the opinion of 1,700 Americans aged 45 and older, studying awareness and attitudes related to Alzheimer’s disease, early detection, tests used to help diagnose Alzheimer’s, and treatments that can slow progression of the disease.
Talk about the published results on a slightly deeper level, we begin from how 79% of respondents said they would want to know if they had Alzheimer’s disease before having symptoms, or before symptoms interfere with their daily activities. On the other hand, 91% said they will consider taking a simple test, such as a blood biomarker test, if it were available. Having said so, very few found to be actually familiar with these tests.
Beyond that, 80% also said they would ask to be tested rather than wait for their doctor to suggest testing.
Another detail worth a mention is rooted in a contingent of 92% respondents, who said they probably or definitely want to take a medication that could slow the progression of the disease following an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Alongside this, 58% said they may accept moderate to very high levels of risk with medication to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in the early stages.
If diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, 83% were found willing to participate in a clinical trial for treatment to help slow or cure the disease. Almost like an extension of it, 48% cited the ability to participate in clinical trials as a reason for wanting Alzheimer’s testing.
“Our survey finds that people want to know if they have Alzheimer’s, and they want to know before it impacts their daily life. They want a simple test so they can access care earlier, including treatments that can slow the progression of the disease,” said Elizabeth Edgerly., senior director, Community Programs and Services, Alzheimer’s Association. “Their interest in early diagnosis and treatment highlights how important it is that we keep advancing toward diagnostic testing that is simple to administer and widely available. We also heard loud and clear that Americans want disease-modifying treatments that can make a real difference.”
Hold on, we still have a few bits left to unpack, considering we haven’t yet touched upon the fact that nearly 81% believe new treatments to stop the progression of Alzheimer’s will emerge in the next decade. Joining them would be the responses from 66% participants that expressed optimism regarding the availability of new preventive treatments.
Among other things, we ought to mention how an estimated 44% of the surveyed people are currently worried that insurance will not cover future care and treatment following testing. Looking past them, 41% are also concerned about test accuracy. Markedly enough, these weren’t the only concerns reported, as many respondents also said they are worried about cost of testing, and losing confidence in abilities or not being allowed to do certain activities (such as driving).
Contextualizing the importance of such an exercise is a piece of data revealing that 7.2 million people aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease. As for the total annual costs of caring for people living with this condition and other dementias (excluding unpaid care), they are projected to hit $384 billion in 2025.
“As someone who has benefitted from early diagnosis and treatment, I encourage others who are worried about their cognition to be proactive in addressing their concerns,” said Darlene Bradley, a member of the Alzheimer’s Association Early-Stage Advisory Group. “The survey underscores what many of us living with Alzheimer’s believe — we want every opportunity to fight this disease and live the best life we can for as long as we can.”