In light of ageing population trends, global healthcare costs associated with dementia are predicted to reach USD 2 trillion per year by 2030 , according to a study published in BMJ Global Health in April 2022. "This has prompted many researchers to look into the different factors that are contributing to these rising costs. Yet, few have looked at costs over long periods of time, or by comparing costs associated with dementia versus a general population group. In the present study, researchers at the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) at Trinity College, collaborated with the Health Economics Unit of Lund University, Sweden, to analyse healthcare costs for 21,184 people, over 17 years. A novel finding uncovered by the researchers is that healthcare costs for people with dementia were 10 to 15% higher than the general population, as early as 10 years before they received their formal dementia diagnosis. This might indicate that healthcare needs for people with dementia arise a long time before people are formally diagnosed with the condition.
When people receive their official diagnosis, the associated healthcare costs are twice as high as those for the general population. Yet, these healthcare costs start decreasing after the year of formal diagnosis and four years after receiving a diagnosis, the healthcare costs are equivalent to those of the comparison group of the study (composed of the general population). The authors of the study posit that this might be because care services are covered by municipalities and are considered social costs, and therefore do not belong to the healthcare sector. According to the authors, it is also possible that dementia contributes to a decrease in one’s expression of needs, thereby reducing contact with the healthcare sector. The researchers also suggest that after several years, people with dementia might not be sufficiently prioritised in the healthcare system and therefore do not receive adequate care during this time. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12619
