Underwriting the elderly: the utility of DWR, part II.
Cognitive function is an important predictor of mortality in the elderly. Over the past few years, an increasing number of life insurance companies have incorporated screening for cognitive impairment into the underwriting process at older ages. Many different test instruments provide a measurement of cognitive function. Among these, the 10 word delayed word recall test (DWR) offers the best opportunity to study mortality directly, because of a long history of use in long-term care risk assessment. This article revises and extends a previous report published in the Journal in 2006 looking at the relationship between DWR score and mortality.
Gen Re LifeHealth, 695 East Main Street, Stamford, CT 06901, USA. laura.vecchione@genre.com
Laura
L
Vecchione
Eric
E
Golus
D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007353:Insurance, Long-Term Care / Q000191:economics*; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D018570:Risk Assessment