According to a new survey, more than 72% of US adults aged 50 years or older were open to receiving a hypothetical cost-effective, multidose vaccine that could lower dementia risk by half.

This hypothetical vaccine would differ from the shingles vaccine, which appears to offer the added benefit of reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease while protecting against shingles.

Of course, 28% of those surveyed would refuse the vaccine. I should be shocked by this, but I’ve been around the vaccine discussion long enough to know that there is a stubborn group of people who ignore the benefits of vaccines, and they would refuse a vaccine that could improve aging outcomes.

This article examines the new poll on willingness to receive a hypothetical dementia vaccine.

Hypothetical dementia vaccine poll

In a paper published on 21 September 2026 in JAMA Network Open, J. Felipe Montano-Campos, PhD, Price School of Public Policy, Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy and Government Service, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and colleagues analyzed data from the 2025 Dementia and Medication survey, which was part of the Understanding America Study.

The data included 1529 adults aged 50 years or older. The mean age was 65.6 years; 52.5% were women; 73.7% were white, 14.6% Hispanic, and 11.7% black.

Participants were presented with a hypothetical scenario in which they were at high risk for dementia and asked to indicate their willingness to receive a low-cost, multidose vaccine that would reduce the risk by 50%. Responses were measured on a 7-point scale and ranged from “definitely no” to “definitely yes.”

Here are the key results:

• 72.1% of respondents reported willingness to adopt the vaccine (likely, very likely, or definitely yes), 20.8% reported hesitation (not sure or neutral), and 7.2% reported no willingness (definitely no, very unlikely, or unlikely).
• Willingness to receive the vaccine was higher among older participants than among those aged 50-59 years. Individuals aged 60-69 were 46% more likely to take the vaccine, and those aged ≥ 70 were 60% more likely.
• Women were 26% less likely than men to take the vaccine.
• Compared with white participants, black participants were 28% less willing to receive the vaccine.
• Participants with household incomes above $100,000 were 64% more willing to receive the vaccine than those with household incomes below $30,000.

Summary

No dementia vaccine is available on the market. Some research explores immune-boosting approaches, and a large body of evidence shows that the shingles vaccine reduces dementia risk.

I’m still surprised that 28% of those surveyed are not willing to get the vaccine despite its theoretical value in preventing dementia. I think vaccine hesitancy is common these days, so they will refuse it even if it improves one’s life.

If this hypothetical vaccine became available, would you take it? I know I will.

Citation

• Montano-Campos JF, Joyce GF, Zissimopoulos JM. Public Attitudes About Preventive Dementia Vaccine Among US Adults. JAMA Network Open. 2026 Sept 21;9;(9):e2634777. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.34777.

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