Is mental health economics important in geriatric psychiatry in developing countries?
BACKGROUND
limited healthcare budgets and a seamless demand for resources suggests that a formula for allocating resources is needed. Economic evaluation can assist in developing this formula.


METHODS
mental health economic studies (cost minimisation, cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, cost-benefit and cost of illness analysis) in geriatric psychiatry from developed and developed countries were examined along with all mental health economic studies in developed countries.


RESULTS
there were no health economic studies in geriatric psychiatry from developing countries against a background of many such studies in developed countries. There were a greater number of health economic studies in other areas of psychiatry in developing countries. Several reasons for the paucity of such studies, the feasibility of undertaking these studies and their significance are discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
mental health economic studies in geriatric psychiatry in developing countries are feasible, realistic and may well have an important part to play in the allocation of resources. Also, data sets necessary for such studies are emerging from many developing countries.
Shah
Ajit
A
Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK. a.k.shah@ic.ac.uk
Murthy
Srinivasa
S
Suh
Guh-Kee
GK
D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003906:Developing Countries; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry / Q000191:economics*; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics*