Dementia Deaths Likely 2.7 Times Higher Than Estimated

The estimated percentage of deaths due to dementia may be 2.7 times higher than reported in death certificates. A 2016 Health and Retirement Study found that the proportion of deaths assigned to dementia as an underlying cause on death certificates was 5.0% between 2000 and 2009. However, a recent study found that actual deaths attributable to dementia during these years were approximately 13.6%.

The recent study also looked at statistics related to dementia deaths during these years. The mortality burden of dementia was significantly higher among non-Hispanic Black participants (about 24.7%) than non-Hispanic White . . .