Motivating Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Risk Reduction Behaviors in Older Adults: Motivational Cessation Message Development Findings

Smoking, a modifiable risk factor for dementia, accounts for at least 14% of current Alzheimer’s disease cases. Older smokers are more likely to remain abstinent than younger adults when they use evidence‐based smoking treatment (EBST), thereby reducing their dementia risk. Unfortunately, older smokers are half as likely to try to quit than younger adults. Therefore, motivating older adults to quit using EBST is a vital public health priority.