Doctors don't tell half of Alzheimer's patients they have the disease, study finds

Doctors don't tell half of Alzheimer's patients they have the disease
(Image credit: Adam Berry/Getty Images)

More than half of Americans with Alzheimer's do not learn of the diagnosis from their doctors, according to a new study from the Alzheimer's Association.

Only 45 percent of seniors with the disease or their caregivers report learning of the diagnosis from a health care provider, according to the study, which analyzed medical records and Medicare survey responses to ensure patients hadn't just forgotten what they'd been told. By contrast, 90 percent of those diagnosed with cancer or cardiovascular disease report hearing from a doctor about those conditions.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.