Societal costs for the closest family relatives of patients with brain disorders in Denmark: a population-based cohort study

BackgroundBrain disorders, including neurological conditions and mental disorders, pose a considerable economic burden in Denmark. However, the costs of illness are not limited to the patients themselves, as the consequences of living with a brain disorder may also impact close relatives. AimWe aimed to assess excess societal costs related to healthcare utilization and income loss for the closest family relatives of patients with brain disorders. MethodsThis population-based cohort study included the closest family relatives of patients with prevalent (by Jan 1, 2021) or incident (during 2016-2021) brain disorders. They were compared with corresponding relatives of matched population comparisons. Patients were categorized into three age strata: children and young people (0-24 years), adults (25-64 years), and older adults (65+ years). We specified criteria for identifying the closest family relative for each age stratum. Using data from national registries, we estimated attributable healthcare costs, and for working-age relatives (18-65 years), we also estimated income loss. ResultsIn 2021, close relatives of patients with brain disorders included 125,495 fathers and 96,154 mothers of children and young people, 880,661 relatives of adults, and 378,826 relatives of older adults. The pooled attributable costs of brain disorders incurred by closest family relatives were 2,407 million EUR for prevalent disease in 2021 and 794 million EUR for incident disease the first year following incidence. The dominating cost component was income loss for working-age relatives. ConclusionThe higher healthcare costs and especially the lower income for relatives of patients with brain disorders adds to the societal economic burden of brain disorders in Denmark. Informal care provided by relatives may contribute to this, underscoring the need to consider their caregiving burden in questions of healthcare prioritization.