Health economics and cost of illness in parkinson's disease

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide. With a progressive course and no cure yet available, it is demanding for patients and their caregivers, but also for health and social support systems and ultimately for society as a whole. Everyday significant economic resources are spent due to PD, either directly on its treatment or in lost productivity. In this article, one tried to frame PD from an health economics' perspective and cost of illness studies conducted in 11 countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, UK and US), published from 1998 to 2011, were reviewed. One main aspect subsists: costs associated with this disorder are high, disproportionately higher that its prevalence and PD poses a substantial economic burden on individuals and society. © TOUCH MEDICAL MEDIA 2013.