Cost analyses provide an overview of the types of disorders and their relative contribution to the overall costs to society. Such types of analyses can aid public health officials in targeting strategies to reduce the burden of brain disorders.
Andlin-Sobocki and colleagues recently published an analysis of the costs of brain disorder in Europe. This study included both neurological and mental disorders.
This analysis included a comprehensive outline of the components of the costs related to brain disorders. The rank list of cost components (% of total costs) in the analysis were:
- Sick leave (33%)
- Hospitalization (20%)
- Social services (13%)
- Outpatient care (12%)
- Premature death (7%)
- Early retirement (7%)
- Pharmaceutical costs (3%)
- Informal care (3%)
- Other direct costs (2%)
The authors estimated that the total costs related to brain disorders at 386 billion euro per year. The ranking for brain disorder total costs by disease area (and yearly costs in euro billions)
- Mood disorders (106 B €)
- Addictions (57 B €)
- Dementia (55 B €)
- Anxiety disorders (41 B €)
- Psychotic disorders (35 B €)
- Migraine/Headache (27 B €)
- Stroke (22 B €)
- Epilepsy (16 B €)
- Parkinson's disease (11 B €)
- Multiple sclerosis (9 B €)
- Brain tumor (8 B €)
- Brain trauma (3 B €)
Total costs represent estimations of the prevalence for individual disorders multiplied by the yearly cost for each disorder. The authors estimate that brain tumors represent the highest cost component an nearly 40,000 € per year. Multiple sclerosis was estimated as the second most costly component at 25,000 € per year followed by stroke at about 16,000 € per year.
The mental disorders (mood, addictions, dementia and anxiety disorders) have relatively lower cost per case estimates but their total cost contribution is high due to the higher prevalence rates for these disorders.
The study reaffirms brain disorders as a key element in total direct and indirect health care costs. Indirect costs related to work function (sick leave and reduced productivity) are important areas for further study in the mental disorders.
Economic costs represent only one aspect to the burden of disease. Individual pain and suffering and the effects on family members were not addressed in this analysis.
This study supports the need for adequate research financing for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of brain disorders.
Photo of a pair of laughing gulls at sunrise from South Padre Island, Texas from the authors files.
Olesen J, Gustavsson A, Svensson M, Wittchen HU, Jönsson B, on behalf of the CDBE2010 study group, & the European Brain Council (2012). The economic cost of brain disorders in Europe. European journal of neurology : the official journal of the European Federation of Neurological Societies, 19 (1), 155-162 PMID: 22175760
Nice shot of the gulls! I got some rather similar ocean reflections with ducks the other day here. Will post when I reopen the blog (temporarily closed it, am reformatting).
ReplyDeleteAnother aspect of the costs of brain disorders is the cost to family members and/or non-related caregiving friends/lovers/New Age family substitutes. In numerous families,the sufferer's costs are all too apparent (days lost from work, expensive meds, etc.) But people seldom bother to quantify the jobs lost by relatives who cannot stay employed when on call for psychiatric or other medical or social emergencies of the identified patient, or disabled person. Or the cost to the caregivers' physical and mental health. Or the costs to a family of having to make a house safe or live in a different kind of place because of the person who is afflicted. Or the costs to caregivers in terms of social isolation, stigma, stress, foregone work promotions or pursuing outsides relationships because they are burned out being caregivers. No matter how much they love the person.
Back when the NHS in GB used to spend more on elderly people and helping care for people in their homes, I remember they paid for helpers to assist my elderly father who was caring for my disabled mother (brain injury from a fall, quadraplegic, and other stuff). One element of their assistance was respite every year, when the government would pay for him to take a REAL vacation (ie: somewhere out of the country) for a week or two to get some rest and a fresh perspective and a holiday after being on call 24/7. From England you can get lots of cheap package tours, so it wasn't that expensive. But it definitely helped keep many caregiving relatives from collapsing under the strain. Their lives had value too. But preventing illness in them did cost something. The NHS did it becasue it would have cost them more had the caregiver collapsed and they had to put two old people in the hospital...
Retriever:
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your comment. I agree these types of analyses often fail to be able to quantify this caregiver cost--both emotional and economic.
I think the days of government covering 24/7 for respite care are likely over for the time being. This is obviously an opportunity for non-profit groups to step in and make a difference.
Bill