2017/09/14 by Martin Cloutier, Mallik Greene, Annie Guérin +2 · 2 citations
Medicine · #Bipolar Disorder and Treatment #Electroconvulsive Therapy Studies #Schizophrenia research and treatment
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2017.09.011
openalex publication_date 2017/09/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/02
BACKGROUND: The current societal costs of bipolar I disorder (BDI) have not been comprehensively characterized in the United States, as previous studies are based on data from two decades ago. METHODS: The costs of BDI were estimated for 2015 and comprised direct healthcare costs, non-healthcare costs, and indirect costs, calculated based on a BDI prevalence of 1%. The excess costs of BDI were estimated as the difference between the costs incurred by individuals with BDI and those incurred by individuals without BD or individuals from the general population. Direct healthcare costs were assessed using three large US claims databases for insured individuals and the literature for uninsured individuals. Direct non-healthcare and indirect costs were based on the literature and governmental publications. RESULTS: The total costs of BDI were estimated at 202.1 billion in 2015, corresponding to an average of 81,559 per individual, while the excess costs of BDI were estimated at 119.8 billion, corresponding to an average of 48,333 per individual. The largest contributors to excess costs were caregiving (36%), direct healthcare costs (21%), and unemployment (20%). In sensitivity analyses, excess costs ranged from 101.2 to 124.3 billion. LIMITATIONS: Direct healthcare costs were calculated based on a BDI diagnosis, thus excluding undiagnosed patients. Direct non-healthcare and indirect costs were based on combined estimates from the literature. CONCLUSIONS: Besides direct healthcare costs, BDI was associated with substantial direct non-healthcare and indirect costs. More effective treatments and practices are needed to optimize therapeutic strategies and contain direct and indirect costs.