Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Combined Physical and Cognitive Exercises Programs Designed for Preventing Dementia among Community-dwelling Healthy Young-old Adults

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to estimate the cost-effectiveness of combined physical and cognitive programs designed to prevent community-dwelling healthy young-old adults from developing dementia. METHODS: The analysis was conducted from a public healthcare and long-term care payer's perspective. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and expenses for health services and long-term care services were described in terms of effectiveness and cost, respectively. A thousand community-dwelling healthy adults aged 65 years were generated through simulation and analyzed. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of adults with preventive program intervention compared to those with nonintervention was simulated with a 10-year cycle Markov model. The data sources for the parameters to build the Markov models were selected with priority given to higher levels of evidence. The threshold for assessing cost-effectiveness was set as less than 5,000,000 Japanese yen/QALY. RESULTS: The ICER was estimated as -5,740,083 Japanese yen (US$-57,400)/QALY. CONCLUSION: A program targeting community-dwelling healthy young-old adults could be cost-effective.