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The main cost drivers in dementia: a systematic review
Schaller S, Mauskopf J, Kriza C, Wahlster P, Kolominsky-Rabas PL.. International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 2014-10-16
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objectives Because of the increasing prevalence of dementia worldwide, combined with limited healthcare expenditures, a better understanding of the main cost drivers of dementia in different care settings is needed. Methods A systematic review of cost-of-illness (COI) studies in dementia was conducted from 2003 to 2012, searching the following databases: PubMed (Medline), Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect (Embase) and National Health Service Economic Evaluations Database. Costs (per patient) by care setting were analyzed for total, direct, indirect and informal costs and related to the following: (1) cost perspective and (2) disease severity. Results In total, 27 studies from 14 different healthcare systems were evaluated. In the included studies, total annual costs for dementia of up to $70,911 per patient (mixed setting) were estimated (average estimate of total costs = $30,554). The shares of cost categories in the total costs for dementia indicate significant differences for different care settings. Overall main cost drivers of dementia are informal costs due to home based long term care and nursing home expenditures rather than direct medical costs (inpatient and outpatient services, medication). Conclusions The results of this review highlight the significant economic burden of dementia for patients, families and healthcare systems and thus are important for future health policy planning. The significant variation of cost estimates for different care settings underlines the need to understand and address the financial burden of dementia from both perspectives. For health policy planning in dementia, future COI studies should follow a quality standard protocol with clearly defined cost components and separate estimates by care setting and disease severity.
Key findings
- Results In total, 27 studies from 14 different healthcare systems were evaluated.
- The shares of cost categories in the total costs for dementia indicate significant differences for different care settings.
- Overall main cost drivers of dementia are informal costs due to home based long term care and nursing home expenditures rather than direct medical costs (inpatient and outpatient services, medication).
- Conclusions The results of this review highlight the significant economic burden of dementia for patients, families and healthcare systems and thus are important for future health policy planning.
- The significant variation of cost estimates for different care settings underlines the need to understand and address the financial burden of dementia from both perspectives.
Why it matters
This systematic review of 27 cost-of-illness studies found that the main cost drivers of dementia are informal costs from home-based long-term care and nursing home expenditures, rather than direct medical costs. This describes the economic burden of dementia and does not address treating, curing, or preventing the disease.
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Study details
- Study designsystematic review
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 59/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a systematic review of all the studies on the question. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (International journal of geriatric psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry: journal h-index 190 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A systematic review of all the studies on the question |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2015 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 214 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.5 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 14 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 50 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Peter L. Kolominsky‐Rabas: h-index 39 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg: institution h-index 901 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 25320002) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 59 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Schaller, S., Mauskopf, J., Kriza, C., Wahlster, P., & Kolominsky-Rabas, P. L. (2015). The main cost drivers in dementia: a systematic review. International journal of geriatric psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.4198
Vancouver
Schaller S, Mauskopf J, Kriza C, Wahlster P, Kolominsky-Rabas PL. The main cost drivers in dementia: a systematic review. International journal of geriatric psychiatry. 2015. doi:10.1002/gps.4198. PMID: 25320002.
BibTeX
@article{schaller2015-25320002,
author = {Schaller, S. and Mauskopf, J. and Kriza, C. and Wahlster, P. and Kolominsky-Rabas, P. L.},
title = {{The main cost drivers in dementia: a systematic review}},
journal = {International journal of geriatric psychiatry},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.1002/gps.4198},
pmid = {25320002},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.4198}
}
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