Gender Differences in Patients with Alzheimer s Disease

Problem Statement

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a debilitating and progressive neurodegenerative disorder estimated to affect over 5 million women in the United States, yet recent research has shown that many cases go undiagnosed (Royse et al., 2021). This leads to significant health inequalities for American women because of their increased risk for diagnosis due to their demographic factors (de Lange, 2020; Dubal, 2020; Majoka & Schimming, 2022; Peeters et al., 2022). Research has also suggested that American women with AD experience greater disability and require more assistance than their male counterparts, which further highlights the issue of inequity in healthcare for women (Zuo & Heflin, 2022).

Given the increasing prevalence of AD in the United States, there is a critical need to understand the disproportionate impacts of the condition on American women (Peeters et al., 2022). This need becomes even more pronounced when a consideration of gender is factored in, as there is evidence that women may be more vulnerable to the negative effects of AD due to the specific risks they face (de Lange, 2020; Hu et al., 2022). Therefore, a study of the prevalence and effects of Alzheimer’s Disease among American women is necessary to inform an understanding of the impact of the condition on this population and to identify strategies for mitigating its negative consequences. Such a study would contribute to the existing body of research on AD and provide valuable information to support the development of policies and programs tailored to meet the needs of American women affected by the condition. Plus, this research could be used to inform theory on gender differences in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals with AD and to better understand how gender may moderate the impact of the condition.