Young-onset dementia (YOD), which strikes before age 65, is disproportionately affecting racial and ethnic minority communities in the U.S., according to a new study of Medicare beneficiaries. Researchers found that Black, Hispanic, and American Indian and Alaska Native adults had significantly higher rates of YOD compared to White and Asian adults.
Among 2.2 million Medicare beneficiaries aged 45 to 64, 3.25% had YOD. Black adults had the highest age-standardized prevalence at 3.76%, followed by White (3.23%), Asian (3.02%), Hispanic (2.73%), and American Indian and Alaska Native (2.69%) individuals. Notably, the proportion of YOD among all dementia cases was more than twice as high in Black, Hispanic, and American Indian and Alaska Native adults compared to White and Asian adults.
The study also revealed that these groups carried a heavier burden of comorbidities linked to YOD. Black adults had the highest rates of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, while American Indian and Alaska Native adults had the highest prevalence of diabetes, alcohol use disorder, and traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injury was the strongest predictor of YOD across all groups, with American Indian and Alaska Native adults facing nearly 10 times the odds.
Researchers emphasized the need for early screening and better care coordination, especially for younger adults in minoritized communities. “Improved early detection may help address the needs of Medicare beneficiaries with YOD,” they concluded.
See: “Race and Ethnicity and Comorbidities Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Young-Onset Dementia” (August 20, 2025)
