Heterogeneity in Measures and Rates of Reported Dementia and Subjective Memory Complaints Across U.S. National Surveys.

OBJECTIVES: Several U.S. health surveillance surveys contain items related to self- and proxy reports of dementia and subjective memory complaints (SMC). Despite their similar content, these items differ in terminology, item specificity, and time frame. The goal of this study was to analyze whether item features might influence endorsement rates for dementia and SMC. METHODS: We calculated design-appropriate estimates for the endorsement of dementia and SMC across U.S.-based national surveys and employed pairwise comparisons to evaluate endorsement rates across surveys. We also examined item characteristics to explore possible effects on endorsement rates. RESULTS: Endorsement rates were wide-ranging for dementia (ranging from 2.7% to 9.9%) and SMC (5.6% to 46.6%). Pairwise comparisons revealed statistically significant differences on most dementia-related items (76%), and all SMC comparisons (100%). Items varied substantially in the terminology used to assess dementia and SMC (e.g., "dementia" vs "Alzheimer's disease") and used different time frames (e.g., "past month" vs "5 years"). DISCUSSION: National survey data on reported dementia and SMC can have important research, training, and policy implications, yet endorsement rates vary widely across surveys. That variability could emerge from subtle but influential item characteristics, and our findings highlight the need for item harmonization, in even their most basic characteristics. Standardizing items across national surveillance surveys facilitates comparison across surveys so that we can better understand the true burden of these conditions to inform public health initiatives.

Older adults' perceptions and experiences of ageism during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current study investigates older adults' perceptions of ageism in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using tenets of Stereotype Embodiment Theory and the Behaviors from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes Map framework, we sought to (a) examine whether older adults experienced ageism as self-relevant during the pandemic and (b) understand whether older adults experienced certain media messages and interpersonal behaviors during the pandemic and interpreted them as being motivated by potentialpaternalistic age stereotypes. Older adults aged 65 and older recruited from the community (n = 73) participated in a semi-structured interview about their perspectives on ageism toward older adults during the pandemic. Participants also completed an online survey about their experiences with a range of messages and interpersonal behaviors throughout the pandemic. We thematically analyzed interview data and identified three primary themes: self-relevance of age stereotypes; awareness of negative, overgeneralized portrayals of older adults; and defenses against self-relevance of age stereotypes. Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and frequency counts and suggest that participants attributed messages and behaviors potentially imbued with paternalistic ageism as motivated primarily by care and concern for older adults. The findings add to the field's understanding of older adults' experiences and perceptions of ageism in the media and in interpersonal behaviors in the context of COVID-19.