Healthcare costs of dementia diseases before, during and after diagnosis: Longitudinal analysis of 17 years of Swedish register data

Introduction: This study examines health-care costs attributed to dementia diseases in the 10 years prior to, during, and 6 years after diagnosis. Methods: Using administrative register data for people diagnosed with dementia (2010–2016) in southern Sweden (n = 21,184), and a comparison group without dementia, health-care costs over 17 years were examined using longitudinal regression analysis. Results: Average annual health-care costs per person were consistently higher before diagnosis in the dementia group (10 years before: Swedish krona (SEK) 2063, P <.005 and 1 year before: SEK8166, P <.005). At diagnosis, health-care costs were more than twice as high (SEK44,410, P <.005). Four to 6 years after diagnosis, there was no significant different in costs compared to comparators. Discussion: Excess health-care cost arise as early as 10 years before a formal diagnosis of dementia, and while there is a spike in cost after diagnosis, health-care costs are no different 4 years after. These findings question currently accepted assumptions on costs of dementia.