Impact socio-économique de la maladie d’Alzheimer et des maladies apparentées en Europe

Cost assessment of Alzheimer’s disease is a difficult task, all the more so when making a European comparison. How can costs be defined and measured when systems for taking charge of patients or reimbursements differ and when data in some countries are non-existent? The European Commission within the public health community action programme of 2003-2008 finances the European Collaboration on Dementia Socio-Economic Group. The programme was set up and coordinated by Alzheimer Europe and supported by the Alzheimer Médéric Foundation. The Group has created an economic model of the costs of the disease, making various assumptions, approximations and options based on identified economic data available in international literature. The total cost of Alzheimer’s disease or diseases of the same type within Europe (UE 27) is estimated at 160.3 billion euros in 2008 (1.3% of the 2008 gross domestic product of UE 27), of which 71.7 billion in direct costs (45%) and 88.6 billion (55%) in indirect costs. The annual costs per person suffering from Alzheimer’s disease are estimated at 22,194 euros of which 9,925 euros in direct costs and 12,270 euros in indirect costs. For the UE 27 zone, the disease’s load is estimated at 2.12 million years of DALY-disability adjusted life years (441 of DALY-disability adjusted life years for 100.000 people). This load is heavier than that of diabetes