Predicting the cost of Parkinson's disease

The degenerative nature of Parkinson's disease (PD) suggests that it will lead to high levels of resource use. This study measures service use and costs for a representative community sample of PD patients and identifies cost predictors. Patients were identified from general practices and were interviewed twice, separated by a 12-month interval. Demographic and clinical data on patients were collected and 6-month costs were calculated. Regression analysis was used to identify significant baseline predictors of follow-up costs. The annual service costs (baseline and follow-up combined) were 13,804 pounds per person. Formal service costs accounted for 20% of this figure with informal care from families/friends accounting for 80%. The regression model explained 42% of total follow-up costs and significant predictors included gender (with men having higher costs), disability, and depression.