Determinants of societal costs in Alzheimer's disease: GERAS study baseline results

To identify the main factors associated with societal costs of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in community-dwelling patients across three European countries.

Baseline cost data from a prospective, observational study were used. Assessments included patients' cognition, activities of daily living (ADLs) and behavioral symptoms, and caregiver burden. Cost calculations (2010) from the societal perspective were based on patient/caregiver resource use. Generalized linear models estimated factors associated with costs.

Mean monthly costs per patient differed for France (€1881), Germany (€2349), and the UK (€2016), with informal care costs accounting for 50% to 61%. Independent factors associated with costs across all countries were ADL total score, patient living arrangements, caregiver working status, and caregiver burden (all P < .05). Additional factors were significant for the pooled cohort or individual countries.

Several patient and caregiver factors, including factors associated with informal care, should be included when evaluating care options for patients with AD.