Journal Article

DZNE-2026-00909

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Cost-effectiveness of the special care unit for persons with dementia.

Handels, R. ; Michalowsky, B.DZNE* ; Mendes, A. ; Bergh, S. ; Cesana, B. M. ; Ciccone, A. ; Cognat, E. ; Fabbo, A. ; Fascendini, S. ; Frisoni, G. B. ; Froelich, L. ; Mecocci, P. ; Merlo, P. ; Peters, O.Extern* ; Tsolaki, M. ; Defanti, C. A. ; RECage consortium collaborators (Collaboration Author)

2026
Elsevier Masson SAS [Paris]

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1016/j.tjpad.2026.100647

Abstract: We aimed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of the patient-centered special care unit for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (SCU-B) in the Respectful Caring for the Agitated Elderly (RECage) study.A health-economic evaluation was performed alongside a controlled European multicenter three-year longitudinal cohort study enrolling 508 participants in a non-SCU-B cohort and SCU-B cohort. Health service resource use, costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost per QALY gained were assessed.Total QALYs were lower (-0.13; bootstrap-interval -0.23 to -0.02) and total costs were higher (€24,960; bootstrap-interval 14,870 to 35,090) in the SCU-B cohort. Base case and sensitivity analyses indicated the SCU-B was likely not cost-effective.Widespread implementation as well as disinvestment of SCU-B cannot be recommended, given the uncertainty of the study results. We recommend a randomized study stratified by (local/county) region for conclusive evidence.

Keyword(s): Behavioral and psychological symptoms ; Cost-effectiveness ; Dementia ; Health-economic evaluation ; Special care unit

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Patient-Reported Outcomes and Health Economics Research (AG Michalowsky)

Research Program(s):

1. 353 - Clinical and Health Care Research (POF4-353) (POF4-353)

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Database coverage:
; ; Article Processing Charges ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Clinical Medicine ; DEAL Springer ; DEAL Springer ; DOAJ Seal ; Essential Science Indicators ; Fees ; IF >= 5 ; JCR ; PubMed Central ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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