New Study Suggests Shingles Vaccination May Be Associated with Reduced Dementia Risk in Older Adults

Research published in Annals of Internal Medicine uses PointClickCare Life Sciences' EHR data linked with Medicare claims to analyze outcomes in more than 500,000 individuals

TORONTO, June 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New research published in Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that shingles vaccination may be associated with a reduced risk of dementia among older adults entering skilled nursing facilities.

The study, led by researchers from Brown University School of Public Health and University of Delaware, evaluated outcomes in more than 500,000 adults aged 66 and older. Using Medicare claims linked with deidentified electronic health record (EHR) data from PointClickCare Life Sciences, the researchers conducted a target trial emulation to examine the relationship between the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) and the risk of developing dementia.

"Older adults admitted to skilled nursing facilities represent a particularly vulnerable population, with elevated risk for both shingles and dementia," said Jeff Wessinger, vice president & GM of Life Sciences at PointClickCare. "However, this group is often underrepresented in traditional clinical research, making it difficult to generate evidence tailored to their care needs. We are proud that our longitudinal EHR data collected from the majority of long-term care (LTC) facilities in the U.S. can contribute to studies that will change outcomes for aging and vulnerable populations."

The results showed that individuals who received at least one dose of the shingles vaccine within 12 months of entering a skilled nursing facility experienced a 24% relative reduction in dementia risk over four years, compared with those who were not vaccinated. 

"One of the strengths of this research was the ability to use linked Medicare and PointClickCare Life Sciences' EHR data to study older adults entering skilled nursing facilities," said Kaley Hayes, PharmD, PhD, assistant professor at Brown University School of Public Health and lead author of the study. "That combination gave us a real-world view of vaccination history, clinical characteristics, and outcomes in a population that is often underrepresented in traditional research." 

The study leveraged detailed, longitudinal clinical data captured within skilled nursing facilities, including resident demographics, assessments, medication administration records, and vaccination history. These data were linked with Medicare administrative claims to provide a comprehensive view of patient care before, during, and after facility admission.

While the findings demonstrate a meaningful association between shingles vaccination and reduced dementia risk, the authors emphasize that further research, including randomized trials, will be needed to establish a causal relationship. The study also highlights persistently low uptake of shingles vaccination among older adults in skilled nursing settings.

The research underscores the increasing role of real-world data in advancing evidence generation for aging populations. By enabling large-scale analyses in clinically complex populations, linked EHR and claims data can help researchers explore outcomes that are difficult to study in traditional trial settings.

To learn more about our data, visit the website here.

About the Study

The study, Dementia Risk After Recombinant Herpes Zoster Vaccination in Older Adults With a Recent Skilled Nursing Facility Stay, is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. It used a target trial emulation design to estimate the association between RZV vaccination and incident dementia, drawing on linked Medicare claims and nursing home EHR data from PointClickCare. 

View the study abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-04689

View the patient summary: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-04689-PS

About PointClickCare Life Sciences

 PointClickCare Life Sciences partners with researchers and pharmaceutical organizations to accelerate the development, delivery, and evaluation of therapies for aging and vulnerable populations. Leveraging the most comprehensive real-world deidentified datasets derived from its widely adopted electronic health record (EHR) platform in long-term and post-acute care, PointClickCare Life Sciences provides deep, longitudinal insights into patient journeys, treatment patterns, and outcomes. This continuously updated, research-grade data captured as part of routine care enables life sciences organizations to inform clinical research, optimize commercialization strategies, and improve access to therapies for populations often underrepresented in traditional datasets.

Media Contact
Andie Morataya
[email protected]

SOURCE PointClickCare