AAIC 2022 | Assessing dementia risk across multicultural communities

James Galvin, MD, MPH, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, discusses the developments in policies and guidelines to reflect the presentation of dementia in ethnically diverse populations. Advances in research have established that risk factors for cognitive impairment differ across patient groups. Therefore, current clinical assessment tools need to adapt to recognize this variability and account for it in patient care. For example, physical performance and frailty strongly correlate to cognitive performance in older African American adults, whereas mood is a strong predictor of cognitive status in Hispanic individuals. Socioeconomic status is also a significant factor to consider in improving cognitive health outcomes. This interview took place at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2022 in San Diego, CA.