COVID-19 Pandemic Exacerbates Disparities in Hospitalizations Among Older Adults with Dementia

Strategic Insights -

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated disparities in hospitalizations among older adults with dementia, particularly among racial and ethnic minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals. The study, which linked Medicare data with publicly available sources, examined changes in ambulatory care-sensitive condition (ACSC) hospitalizations among community-dwelling older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) before and during the pandemic. The research revealed that non-COVID-19-related hospitalizations decreased from 24.0% in 2019 to 20.4% in 2021, while ACSC hospitalizations fell from 23.0% to 19.0% among those who were hospitalized.

Key Takeaways:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened disparities in ambulatory care-sensitive condition (ACSC) hospitalizations among older adults with dementia.
  • Racial and ethnic minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged older adults with ADRD are more likely to experience ACSC hospitalizations compared to their counterparts.
  • The study found that Black and Hispanic individuals had 2.0 and 1.6 percentage points higher probabilities of ACSC hospitalization, respectively.
  • The number of non-COVID-19-related hospitalizations decreased from 24.0% in 2019 to 20.4% in 2021, while ACSC hospitalizations fell from 23.0% to 19.0% among those who were hospitalized.
  • The study sample included 2.35 million beneficiaries in 2019 and 1.85 million in 2021.
  • The research concluded that racial and ethnic minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged older adults with ADRD were more likely to experience ACSC hospitalizations compared to their counterparts before the pandemic.

Statistics:

  • 24.0% of non-COVID-19-related hospitalizations in 2019 decreased to 20.4% in 2021.
  • ACSC hospitalizations fell from 23.0% to 19.0% among those who were hospitalized.
  • 2.35 million beneficiaries in 2019 and 1.85 million in 2021 were included in the study sample.
  • Black and Hispanic individuals had 2.0 and 1.6 percentage points higher probabilities of ACSC hospitalization, respectively.
  • The study found that racial and ethnic minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged older adults with ADRD were more likely to experience ACSC hospitalizations compared to their counterparts.

Sources:

  • Ambulatory Care Sensitive Hospitalizations and Disparities Among Older Adults With Dementia Before and During the Pandemic. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2025.
  • University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Dept. of Public Health Sciences, Rochester, NY 14627, United States.
  • National Institute on Aging (NIA).