The Societal Cost of Dementia in Singapore: Results from the WiSE Study

Abstract

Background: There is currently limited evidence on the economic burden that dementia exerts on multi-ethnic Asian populations.

Objective: The present study aimed to estimate the economic cost of dementia in Singapore.

Methods: We used data from the Well-being of the Singapore Elderly study, a nationally representative survey of the older Singapore Resident population aged 60 years and above. Generalized linear modeling was used to estimate factors associated with costs.

Results: The total cost of dementia in 2013 was estimated at S$532 million (95% CI, S$361 million to S$701 million) while the annual cost per person was estimated at S$10,245 per year (95% CI, S$6,954 to S$12,495). Apart from dementia, higher total societal cost were also significantly associated with older age, Indian ethnicity, and those who were diagnosed with heart problems, stroke, diabetes or depression, whereas being divorced/separated, lower education, and those who were diagnosed with hypertension were significantly associated with lower total societal cost.

Conclusion: The study provides a rich body of information on healthcare utilization and cost of dementia, which is essential for future planning of services for the elderly population.

Keywords: Cost of illness; dementia; elderly; health services; societal cost.