Alzheimer's Disease Prevalence and Prevention: Building the Case for Early Diagnosis

Welcome back to another AJMC Peer Exchange series. In this episode titled, 'Alzheimer's Disease Prevalence and Prevention: Building the Case for Early Diagnosis,' Kavita Nair, PhD, led the conversation about the following questions:

The 2026 Alzheimer's Association Facts and Figures report highlights the scale of this disease. What are the key epidemiologic statistics our managed care audience needs to know, such as prevalence, lifetime risk, and projections, and what do they mean for health system planning?

A study found that delaying Alzheimer's disease (AD) onset would produce a lower prevalence and lower societal costs. How do you use this kind of data to make the case for upstream investment in diagnosis and treatment to payers and health systems?

Dr. Nair, Joshua Oaks, MD, and Scott Joy, MD, MBA, FACP, highlighted the scale of Alzheimer's disease in the United States, noting that an estimated 7.4 million Americans currently live with the condition and that lifetime risk reaches roughly 20% for women and 10% for men. They discussed how delaying disease onset by even five years could substantially reduce future prevalence and the associated societal cost burden, reinforcing the economic case for early diagnosis. The panel also emphasized modifiable lifestyle factors — smoking cessation, diet, exercise, social engagement, and management of hearing and vision loss — as practical levers primary care physicians can use with patients well before a formal diagnosis. Dr. Joy underscored that these prevention strategies represent a cost-effective opportunity for health systems and payers to invest upstream in diagnosis and treatment.

Throughout the conversation, the experts provided a comprehensive reflection on the field and the factors that may shape how clinicians approach care moving forward.

In the next episode, 'Catching Alzheimer's Disease Early: Assessing Mild Cognitive Impairment in Primary Care,' panelists continue their discussion on Alzheimer's disease and highlight how mild cognitive impairment presents clinically, the screening and testing pathways used to identify it in primary care, and how it is distinguished from normal aging and other causes of cognitive decline.