New Fact Sheet Highlights Disproportionate Impact of Alzheimer’s Disease on Women as Patients and Caregivers

Doctor listening to an older patient's heart

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a rapidly growing and costly public health crisis—and it is one that disproportionately affects women.

Of the estimated 6.5 million people in the United States living with AD, approximately two-thirds of them are women. Further, more than 60% of the AD and related dementias (AD/ADRD) caregivers are women, many of whom are uncompensated. Women also have a 30% higher risk of dying from AD than men. AD is the fifth leading cause of death for women in the United States (it is the seventh leading cause of death for men).

This June, as part of Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) launched a fact sheet to shed light on how women bear the brunt of this growing public health and economic crisis and why policy changes are needed to mitigate its effects.

DOWNLOAD THE ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE FACT SHEET

Breaking Down the Burden of Alzheimer’s Disease for Women: A Call to Action examines AD prevalence among U.S. populations, showcases the caregiving burden of AD/ADRD on women, and shares policy priorities that could help improve outcomes for women affected by AD/ADRD.

This fact sheet represents one of the ways SWHR is raising awareness about the impact of AD on women and seeking to drive policy change to improve outcomes. In addition to this work, SWHR included AD as one of its initial four focus areas of SWHR’s Women’s Health Equity Initiative, launched in April 2022; engaged in Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month; and provided comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on its Medicare coverage policy for monoclonal antibodies directed against amyloid for the treatment of AD; among other activities.

 

SWHR’s Alzheimer’s Disease Program is supported by educational sponsorships from Eisai and Eli Lilly & Company. SWHR maintains editorial control and independence over educational content.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a rapidly growing and costly public health crisis—and it is one that disproportionately affects women.

Of the estimated 6.5 million people in the United States living with AD, approximately two-thirds of them are women. Further, more than 60% of the AD and related dementias (AD/ADRD) caregivers are women, many of whom are uncompensated. Women also have a 30% higher risk of dying from AD than men. AD is the fifth leading cause of death for women in the United States (it is the seventh leading cause of death for men).

This June, as part of Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) launched a fact sheet to shed light on how women bear the brunt of this growing public health and economic crisis and why policy changes are needed to mitigate its effects.

DOWNLOAD THE ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE FACT SHEET

Breaking Down the Burden of Alzheimer’s Disease for Women: A Call to Action examines AD prevalence among U.S. populations, showcases the caregiving burden of AD/ADRD on women, and shares policy priorities that could help improve outcomes for women affected by AD/ADRD.

This fact sheet represents one of the ways SWHR is raising awareness about the impact of AD on women and seeking to drive policy change to improve outcomes. In addition to this work, SWHR included AD as one of its initial four focus areas of SWHR’s Women’s Health Equity Initiative, launched in April 2022; engaged in Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month; and provided comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on its Medicare coverage policy for monoclonal antibodies directed against amyloid for the treatment of AD; among other activities.

 

SWHR’s Alzheimer’s Disease Program is supported by educational sponsorships from Eisai and Eli Lilly & Company. SWHR maintains editorial control and independence over educational content.