‘Staggering’ costs of brain disorder total

The rising prevalence in brain disorders — now afflicting at least 43 per cent of the population — costs more than $70bn a year.

 

The growing prevalence in brain disorders — which now afflict at least 43 per cent of the population — is costing more than $70 billion a year and rising, according to a landmark new study of the economic costs of a variety of neurological diseases.

More than 242,000 Australians were affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia in 2017, while 4.5 million experienced migraines, according to Mindgardens, an alliance of clinical researchers, which contributed to a loss in quality of life valued at $74bn.

“The costs are staggering,” said Professor Helen Christensen, chief executive of Mindgardens.

“Mental health disorders and suicide cost the nation over $33bn each year, neurological disorders cost over $31bn and substance use and disorders almost $10bn”.

“Combined, the cost of these disorders will have a greater cost to the Australian economy than heart disease, cancer and respiratory disease combined,” she added.

The burden of brain disorders, in terms of last years of healthy life, made up over a fifth (or 1.2 million “disability-adjusted” life years) of the total burden of all diseases in Australia — almost double the global average share.

 

Professor Peter Schofield, chief executive of Neurosciences Australia, was struck by the rapid growth in substance abuse, the cost of which had increased 13.5 per cent since 2010, the most rapid growth among the three broad areas of brain disorder.

Alcohol, opioid and cocaine use disorders affected 337,000, 111,000 and 37,100 people respectively in 2017, including 13 per cent of 16 to 24 year olds, the study, undertaken by KPMG, estimated.

Renowned economist Angus Deaton has shown how middle-aged men in the US, many displaced from work by technology or competition with cheaper Chinese manufacturers, exhibit a sharply higher incidence of mental illness.

The incidence of substance abuse, anxiety disorders and depression was greatest among people under 30. Degenerative diseases exploded in prevalence after age 75. Incidence of dementia, which alone cost $8.6bn in 2017, is expected to triple to 900,000 by 2050.

“Someone living with depression could have problems with dementia or substance abuse,” Professor Schofield said, explaining how individuals often had more than one condition.

Just under 3130 people committed suicide in 2017, of which 75 per cent were men.

Brain disorders needed the same understanding and support as cancer, he said.

“It’s not as simple as the cancer model, but there is nevertheless huge unmet demand for services,” he added.

“Managing an individual’s needs requires a helicopter view, rather than the traditional siloed service provision,” Professor Christensen said.

Dollar costs in the KPMG report referred to estimates of the years of healthy life lost as a result of these conditions.

Actual public expenditures on remedial health and social services would make the total cost even higher.

The number of disability support pension recipients with psychological and intellectual conditions has almost quadrupling for some groups of men, according to Parliamentary Budget Office analysis last year.