title: Economic burden of Parkinson's disease in Singapore.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was carried out to evaluate the economic burden of Parkinson's disease (PD) and factors independently associated with individual components of total cost in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive sample of 195 patients with PD (mean age: 68.2, men: 51.8%) attending a tertiary neuroscience clinic were identified and interviewed using standardized questionnaires including a financial burden questionnaire, two Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) questionnaires and the Beck Depression Inventory questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Annual total cost of PD from a societal perspective was SGD11345 (USD10129) per patient, with direct cost accounted for 38.5% and indirect cost 61.5%. The main cost components for direct medical cost, direct non-medical cost, and indirect cost was pharmacotherapy (50.4%), home care (76.1%), and productivity loss (97.9%), respectively. In multiple linear regression analysis, higher education, younger age and longer duration of PD were associated with higher total cost.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parkinson's disease exerts a considerable burden on patients, health care system and society in Singapore. As productivity loss accounts for a large share of the economic burden imposed by PD, treatments and health care programmes with potential for returning patients to higher productivity are urgently needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: L C S
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Au
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Seah
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Wee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006296:Health Services / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000191:economics*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012846:Singapore