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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Katherine Anderson, MS, Department of Graduate Health Sciences, University of Tennnesee, College of Pharmacy, 847 Monroe Avenue, Suite 205 M, Memphis, TN 38163, 901-448-1765, katgumby@yahoo.com

The purpose of this study was to estimate the direct and indirect costs of Parkinson's disease in the United States over a five-year period. Direct costs with the exception of Nursing Home costs were estimated using data from the 1999-2003 Medical Expenditures Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS-HC). Nursing Home costs were estimated using the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey Nursing Home Component (MEPS-NHC). Indirect costs for lost productivity (morbidity) were estimated using data from the MEPS-HC and the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Indirect costs for lost productivity due to death (mortality) were estimated using the National Vital Statistics System. Direct and indirect costs of Parkinson's disease in the United States between 1999 and 2003 were estimated at $ 27.3 billion. Direct costs for Parkinson's disease totaled approximately $26 billion. The majority of direct medical costs were associated with prescription medications and nursing home care. Indirect costs resulting from lost workdays, bed-days, and mortality totaled approximately $1.3 billion, with the majority of indirect costs being related to mortality. This estimate of the cost of Parkinson's disease most likely underestimates the true cost of Parkinson's disease for several reasons. First, this estimate excludes intangibles costs, such as pain and suffering, second, this estimate does not provide an estimate of care provided by non-paid caregivers, and third, this estimate does not include an estimate of the co-morbid costs associated with Parkinson's disease. Future concerns include increased life expectancy since the prevalence of Parkinson's disease increases dramatically after the age of 85.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Describe health care resource utilization for persons with Parkinson's disease in the United States.
• Identify demographic differences in health care resources among patients with Parkinson's disease.
• Describe the differences in direct costs and indirect costs for patients with Parkinson's disease.

Keywords: Chronic Diseases, Health Care Utilization

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered

Handout (.ppt format, 56.0 kb)