Earnings losses in young-onset dementia: Population-based study with admin data.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Gerontology
• Public Health

Background:

• Young-onset dementia (YOD) often presents diagnostic delays, hindering understanding of its socioeconomic consequences.
• The financial and employment impact on individuals under 65 with YOD remains under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the long-term economic and employment effects of YOD.
• To identify factors influencing financial and social security outcomes in YOD.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of health insurance claims and medical records for 16,010 YOD cases and 129,616 controls.
• Non-parametric event study to assess earnings, benefits, employment, and social security uptake.
• Inclusion of demographic and socioeconomic variables.

Main Results:

• Significant earnings decline (58.7%) and total losses of €144,013 prior to diagnosis.
• Reduced earnings plus benefits (20.7%) and a 35.5 percentage point drop in employment.
• Increased reliance on disability insurance (23.9%) and welfare benefits (2.7%); lower education and single status linked to greater losses.

Conclusions:

• YOD leads to profound, long-lasting financial and employment challenges.
• Early diagnosis and comprehensive social support systems are essential for mitigating YOD's impact.
• Workplace adjustments and improved disability benefit evaluations are necessary.