title: Drug and treatment costs in Parkinson's disease patients in Sweden.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease expected to cause great costs. The aim of this study was to calculate drug and treatment costs in patients with PD in Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  All healthcare contacts of patients with PD in Stockholm County, Sweden, were extracted from registers together with information on reimbursements from the authorities to the caregivers. PD-related costs were calculated together with non-PD-related costs. Cost per patient was calculated and extrapolated to the whole Swedish population, taking population demographics into consideration. In addition, nationwide PD drug sales statistics were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PD prevalence of Stockholm County was estimated to 196 per 100,000 inhabitants, resulting in an estimated total of about 22,000 patients with PD in Sweden. The cost per patient was estimated to SEK 76,000 of which drug costs accounted for SEK 15,880. The annual direct costs in patients with PD in Sweden were SEK 1.7 billion in 2009.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study estimates high direct costs in patients with PD in Sweden, SEK 1.7 billion, 52% for inpatient care, 27% for outpatient care and 21% for drugs. With an ageing population and the medical progress, the financial burden on society will most probably increase in the future. This study might initiate and provide information for discussions about future cost allocations and healthcare priorities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. johan.lokk@karolinska.se
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lökk
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ljunggren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000191:economics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents