Hoang_2024_J.Prev.Alzheimers.Dis_11_1703

Reference

Title : Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Number of New Dementia Diagnoses and the Quality of Dementia Diagnostics and Treatment - Hoang_2024_J.Prev.Alzheimers.Dis_11_1703
Author(s) : Hoang MT , Jurado PG , Abzhandadze T , Mostafaei S , Mo M , kerman M , Vestling K , Chen C , Xu H , Eriksdotter M , Garcia-Ptacek S
Ref : J Prev Alzheimers Dis , 11 :1703 , 2024
Abstract :

BACKGROUND: Care trajectories were disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, how COVID-19 influenced the number of new dementia diagnoses, and the quality of dementia work-ups, and treatment is understudied. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the change in new dementia registrations, diagnostics, and treatment in the pre-, COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 pandemic periods. DESIGN: A nationwide cohort study. SETTING: This population-based study used data from the Swedish Registry for Cognitive/Dementia disorders - SveDem, and other nationwide registries in Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: Persons with dementia diagnosed between 2019 and 2021 were divided into three groups based on the date of diagnosis: the pre-COVID-19 period (01 January 2019 - 29 February 2020), the COVID-19 period (01 March 2020 - 31 December 2020), and the post-COVID-19 period (01 January 2021 - 31 August 2021). MEASUREMENTS: Outcomes included dementia diagnostics and treatments. RESULTS: The monthly average number of new dementia cases registered in SveDem was 595, 415 and 470, respectively in the pre-COVID-19, COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 period. Compared to the pre-COVID-19 period, the monthly number of registrations decreased, but provision of the basic diagnostic work-up, its individual tests, and the use of cholinesterase inhibitors, memantine and antipsychotics were not significantly different in the COVID-19 period. Compared to the pre-COVID-19 period, new dementia diagnoses continued to be low in the post-COVID-19 period, but diagnosed individuals were more likely to receive the complete basic diagnostic work-up (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.00 - 1.29), blood analysis (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.44 - 2.49), computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.01 - 1.48), occupational therapy assessment (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.04 - 1.22), and memantine (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.07 - 1.31). CONCLUSION: The quantity of new dementia registrations in SveDem decreased in the COVID-19 period and has not returned to pre-COVID-19 levels, but the quality of the work-ups which were conducted and registered in SveDem was similar or higher than in the pre-COVID-19 period. It is imperative to implement policies to increase SveDem registration with the aim of matching or exceeding pre-COVID-19 levels.

PubMedSearch : Hoang_2024_J.Prev.Alzheimers.Dis_11_1703
PubMedID: 39559881

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Citations formats

Hoang MT, Jurado PG, Abzhandadze T, Mostafaei S, Mo M, kerman M, Vestling K, Chen C, Xu H, Eriksdotter M, Garcia-Ptacek S (2024)
Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Number of New Dementia Diagnoses and the Quality of Dementia Diagnostics and Treatment
J Prev Alzheimers Dis 11 :1703

Hoang MT, Jurado PG, Abzhandadze T, Mostafaei S, Mo M, kerman M, Vestling K, Chen C, Xu H, Eriksdotter M, Garcia-Ptacek S (2024)
J Prev Alzheimers Dis 11 :1703