Current and projected future economic burden of Parkinson’s disease in the U.S.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Level by design analogy for health economics modeling using cross-sectional surveys and administrative claims data.
OpenAlex W3042050487 · doi:10.1038/s41531-020-0117-1
What was done
Estimated the direct medical, non-medical, and indirect economic burden of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the United States for 2017 and projected costs through 2037. Authors synthesized multiple datasets: public and private administrative claims, the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, and a dedicated primary survey (n = 4,548).
What was found
In 2017, an estimated ~1.0 million individuals in the U.S. had diagnosed PD, resulting in a total economic burden of $51.9 billion. This comprised $25.4 billion in direct medical costs (with the Medicare program bearing the largest share) and $26.5 billion in indirect and non-medical costs ($14.2 billion patient and caregiver indirect costs, $7.5 billion non-medical costs, and $4.8 billion in disability income). By 2037, diagnosed PD prevalence is projected to exceed 1.6 million with total economic burden surpassing $79 billion annually.
Why it matters
Demonstrates that indirect and non-medical costs account for over half of the economic impact of Parkinson's disease, showing that prior estimates focused primarily on direct healthcare utilization underestimated total societal costs.
Limits
Abstract lacks confidence intervals or uncertainty bounds around the point estimates. Reliance on administrative claims and self-reported primary survey data carries risk of misclassification and selection bias. Claims sample sizes and response rates are not reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports The economic burden of Parkinson's disease in the United States is $50 billion, and the economic burden of Alzheimer's disease is $300 billion.