Healthcare costs in chronically ill community-living older adults are dependent on mental disorders

Abstract

Background: The economic impact on society associated with the healthcare of older adults depends on their health status. The aim was to estimate the excess costs associated with co-morbid mental and physical disorders. Methods: Data were from a health survey of 2004 older adults. Two-year healthcare costs were identified from administrative databases. Generalized linear models were used to study healthcare costs as a function of co-morbid mental disorders (MDs) and heart disease (HD), arthritis, diabetes, cancer, respiratory disease (RD) and cerebral vascular accident (CVA). Results: Participants with HD and CVA with MD incurred higher costs reaching $1696 (95% confidence interval (CI): $30, $3422) and $14 772 (95% CI: $1909, $31 454) than those without MD. RD and MD incurred higher costs reaching $5343 (95% CI: $343, $10 343) than those without RD. The excess annual adjusted healthcare costs associated with co-morbid MD and physical disorders reach close to $600 M per 1 000 000 population of older adults. Conclusion: The presence of MDs with HD, CVA and RDs has a synergistic effect on healthcare costs. These findings underline the need for improved primary care for the prevention and treatment of co-mental and physical disorders that can potentially save hundreds of millions to society.