Economics and dementia: Challenges and responses

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Gerontology
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Dementia poses significant economic challenges to individuals, families, healthcare systems, and national economies.
• Individual socioeconomic status influences dementia risk and the capacity for care and response.
• Policymakers face urgent needs for dementia prevention, treatment, and care strategies amidst resource constraints.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review economic evaluation studies in dementia.
• To identify challenges in translating research evidence into effective dementia policy and practice.
• To discuss stakeholder responses and the contribution of the STRiDE study to the field.

Main Methods:

• Summary of existing economic evaluation studies in dementia.
• Analysis of challenges in evidence-to-policy translation.
• Discussion of stakeholder-led responses and the STRiDE study's role.

Main Results:

• Economic evaluation studies highlight the multifaceted economic burden of dementia.
• Significant challenges exist in bridging the gap between research findings and practical policy implementation.
• Stakeholder engagement and targeted research initiatives like STRiDE are vital for progress.

Conclusions:

• Effective dementia policy requires robust economic evidence to guide resource allocation for prevention, treatment, and care.
• Addressing the economic impact of dementia necessitates collaborative efforts from researchers, policymakers, and various stakeholders.
• The STRiDE study aims to contribute actionable insights for better dementia policy and practice informed by economic evaluations.