ABSTRACT
Objectives
To examine how dementia is associated with COVID-19 risk and adherence to COVID-19 mitigation behaviors, and whether mitigation behaviors mediate the relationship between dementia and COVID-19 risk.
Methods
/Design: We analyzed 2019 and 2020 data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study, a national prospective cohort study of United States older adults age 65+. Outcomes were COVID-19 diagnosis and adherence to COVID-19 mitigation behaviors (handwashing, mask-wearing, and social distancing).
Results
Among the 3257 older adults in this study, 485 (14.9%) had dementia in 2019 and 98 (3.1%) were COVID-19 positive in 2020. Dementia significantly increased the odds of COVID-19 by 129% (odds ratio [OR] = 2.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32 to 3.97), and remained elevated after adjusting for sociodemographics and health (OR = 1.67, 95% CI 0.90 to 3.11). Dementia significantly decreased the odds of handwashing by 72% (OR = 0.28, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.44), which remained lower after adjusting for sociodemographics and health (OR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.23 to 1.21). Dementia was not significantly associated with mask-wearing and social distancing. The relationship between dementia and COVID-19 was primarily mediated by functional impairment, income, and residential setting.
Conclusions
Dementia was associated with an increased COVID-19 risk and lower adherence to handwashing among U.S. older adults. Adherence to COVID-19 mitigation behaviors did not mediate COVID-19 risk by dementia status. For older adults with dementia, COVID-19 risk could be decreased by prioritizing health interventions.
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