Cost-consequence analysis of the partner in balance program for informal carers of persons with dementia

Informal caregivers often seek additional support. Partner in Balance (PiB), a blended self-management program for informal caregivers of persons with dementia, presents a promising avenue for providing cost-effective support. This study aims to evaluate the cost-consequence of PiB compared to usual care.

A cost-consequence analysis from a healthcare perspective was conducted within a randomized waiting-list controlled trial in the Netherlands, involving 78 informal caregivers. Intervention and healthcare costs (selection of the Resource Utilization in Dementia (RUD)), along with caregiver utility scores (ICECAP-O), were assessed over 8 weeks. Bootstrapping and sensitivity analyses tested result robustness.

Compared to standard care, PiB incurred significantly higher costs (€2,027 vs. €805; p = 0.013) at 8 weeks, with the largest cost differences found for intervention and nursing home costs. PiB's caregivers reported better, though not statistically significant, utility scores (0.82 vs. 0.76; p=0.073). Sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of these findings.

PiB presents a promising approach to supporting caregivers of persons with dementia, indicating higher initial costs but benefits in caregiver utility. However, the study presented too many limitations to make a confident reimbursement recommendation for the caregiver program. Therefore, we recommend awaiting further research assessing the long-term cost-effectiveness and broader societal impacts of PiB before deciding on its potential reimbursement.