Johanna Thunell, PhD

Johanna Thunell is a research scientist at the Sol Price School of Public Policy and Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics.

She studies Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias prevalence, risk and care, as well as the health and wellbeing of family members caring for persons living with dementia. Her research agenda explores the effect of policies and regulations on individual health and economic outcomes, and racial and ethnic disparities. Recent work includes studies on the relationship between non-Alzheimer’s disease drugs and dementia risk, diagnosis and treatment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, and detection of dementia at Medicare’s Annual Wellness Visits.

Thunell holds a PhD in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Southern California, an MPA from San Francisco State University, and a BA in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Recent Work

Response to CMS Request for Information on Medicare Advantage Data

Schaeffer Scholars provided recommendations on improvements related to publicly available data, as well as administrative Encounter and Part D data.

By Grace McCormack, PhD, Patricia Ferido, Paul Ginsburg, PhD, Mireille Jacobson, PhD, Geoffrey Joyce, PhD, Steve M. Lieberman, MPhil, MA, Eugene Lin, MD, MS, Victoria Shier, PhD, Neeraj Sood, PhD, Johanna Thunell, PhD, Erin Trish, PhD and Julie Zissimopoulos, PhD
Categorized in
- Articles
- Perspective
Diagnoses and Treatment of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Among Racially and Ethnically Diverse Persons Living with Dementia

Lower rates of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia diagnoses in non-white compared to white populations may indicate underdiagnosis in clinical settings of treatable conditions.
Categorized in
- Research
- Journal Articles
Does Medicare Advantage Deliver Better Care for Persons Living With Dementia Than Traditional Medicare?

With data available from CMS on all Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in private plans and traditional Medicare, researchers at the USC Schaeffer Center are driving new research on how payment structures impact the care of persons living with dementia.

By Haley Garland, MPP, Johanna Thunell, PhD and Julie Zissimopoulos, PhD
Categorized in
- Evidence Base
Estimates of Diagnosed Dementia Prevalence and Incidence Among Diverse Beneficiaries in Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage

The prevalence of diagnosed dementia among beneficiaries in MA was lower than in TM.
Categorized in
Blood Pressure Medication and Dementia Prevention: The Promising Link

SC Schaeffer Center researchers have turned to real-world data to probe the relationship between antihypertensive use and dementia risk in the U.S. population and among minoritized populations who are at the highest risk of dementia.

By Julie Zissimopoulos, PhD, Johanna Thunell, PhD and Haley Garland, MPP
Categorized in
- Evidence Base

Johanna Thunell, PhD's Bio

Recent Work

Response to CMS Request for Information on Medicare Advantage Data

Diagnoses and Treatment of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Among Racially and Ethnically Diverse Persons Living with Dementia

Does Medicare Advantage Deliver Better Care for Persons Living With Dementia Than Traditional Medicare?

Estimates of Diagnosed Dementia Prevalence and Incidence Among Diverse Beneficiaries in Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage

Blood Pressure Medication and Dementia Prevention: The Promising Link