Economic burden and quality of life of patients with dementia in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: China has the largest number of dementia patients worldwide. The prolonged course of dementia has a serious negative impact on the economy and quality of life of patients and their families.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing literature about economic burden and quality of life of people with dementia in China.

Methods: Six databases were systematically searched for observational studies of the economic burden or quality of life of dementia that were published before June 30, 2024. This review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines.

Results: A total of 36,411 papers were identified, and 21 studies met the inclusion criteria. The annual economic burden of dementia was 20,893 RMB (3,104 USD). The total costs associated with mild, moderate, and severe dementia were 16,619 RMB (2,469 USD), 22,283 RMB (3,311 USD), and 34,611 RMB (5,143 USD), respectively, indicating that the cost increased significantly with increasing dementia severity. In terms of the quality of life, the combined total score for the Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease scale was 30.11, with lower scores for the Housekeeping, Recreation, and Memory items.

Conclusions: Dementia imposes a significant economic and quality of life burden on Chinese patients. The government should pay more attention to dementia and develop a comprehensive prevention and treatment system to reduce the heavy burden of dementia.

Trial registration: This systematic review has the registration number CRD42022374470 on PROSPERO.