Journal article
Smoking and Alcohol Consumption Following a New Dementia Diagnosis
The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, Vol.76(4), pp.745-755
03/14/2021
DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbz127
PMID: 31587074
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives
Despite extensive research on lifestyle factors that influence the risk of developing dementia, limited evidence exists on whether older adults adopt healthier habits post-diagnosis in the hope of preserving their quality of life.
Method
Using panel data (1998–2014) from the Health and Retirement Study, this study investigated whether individuals who received a new dementia diagnosis were more likely to modify smoking and drinking behaviors than those without such a diagnosis. Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for observable differences between groups.
Results
Older adults with a new dementia diagnosis were 2.8 times more likely to reduce alcohol consumption than those without such a diagnosis. This result was mainly attributable to “light” drinkers at baseline and appeared to fade over time. We found no statistically significant effect of a dementia diagnosis on smoking cessation or on reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked. These results were robust to multiple sensitivity tests, including the use of cognition scores to indicate dementia onset instead of self-reported physician diagnosis.
Discussion
A new dementia diagnosis can serve as a window of opportunity that prompts some older adults to change habits related to alcohol consumption. This has important implications for clinical practice surrounding dementia diagnosis disclosure, the rates of which are currently much lower than other medical conditions.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Smoking and Alcohol Consumption Following a New Dementia Diagnosis
- Creators
- Kanika Arora - Department of Health Management and Policy, University of IowaDivya Bhagianadh - Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, Vol.76(4), pp.745-755
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- DOI
- 10.1093/geronb/gbz127
- PMID
- 31587074
- ISSN
- 1079-5014
- eISSN
- 1758-5368
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/14/2021
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy
- Record Identifier
- 9984214801402771
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