Creating and Validating a Mortality Prediction Model for Dementia

The prognosis of dementia is variable, which can lead to challenges in long-term planning. In this study, researchers created a mortality-prediction model for 4267 community-dwelling adults ages 65 and older with probable dementia from the Health and Retirement Study (mean age, 82 years; 69% female; 12% Black). Probable dementia was based on a validated algorithm using data from direct cognitive assessments and proxy informant measures. Primary outcome was time to all-cause death. Candidate predictors, based on data from published systematic reviews, included demographics, behavioral/health factors, functional measures, and chronic conditions. Model development and internal validation were based on regression analyses. The researchers asses…