To examine whether spouses of individuals with incident dementia have a higher risk of developing dementia compared to unexposed spouses and to explore differences across demographic, socioeconomic, and family context factors.
Approach:
Study Design: Nationwide population-based matched cohort study using Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD).
Cohort Identification: Included couples born between 1930 and 1969 with a single recorded marriage and one opposite-sex spouse.
Dementia Diagnosis: Identified incident dementia cases between 1998 and 2022 using diagnostic codes from claims data.
Matching Controls: Used 1 to 4 risk-set matching without replacement based on birth year, sex, income level, and residential area.
Outcome Measures: Primary outcome was incidence of all-cause dementia; secondary outcomes included Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia.
Key Findings:
Spouses of individuals with dementia had a higher risk of developing dementia compared to unexposed spouses, with specific statistical measures provided in the study.
The study accounted for various demographic and socioeconomic factors.
Exploratory analyses were conducted for Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia, with results detailed in the findings.
Interpretation:
Limitations:
Subtypes of dementia were identified using claims data without biomarker confirmation.
Educational attainment data was unavailable, limiting socioeconomic status assessment.
Conclusion:
The study provides insights into the relationship between a partner's dementia and the risk of dementia in spouses.
