Societal Burden of Specific Learning Disorders With Focus on Secondary Mental Health Problems in Japan
Author(s)
Tomoyasu Muto, PhD1, Sonoko Sensaki, MD, MPH2.
1Peds3 Pediatric Learning Assistance Academia Network, Minato-ku, Japan, 2National Center for Child Health and Development, Setagaya City, Tokyo, Japan.
1Peds3 Pediatric Learning Assistance Academia Network, Minato-ku, Japan, 2National Center for Child Health and Development, Setagaya City, Tokyo, Japan.
OBJECTIVES: Estimate the direct medical costs of mental health problems secondary to specific learning disorders (SLD), including anxiety and depression, and the societal costs of school refusal and unemployed status as a consequence of SLD in Japan.
METHODS: A Markov Model was constructed using the incremental incidence of anxiety and depression among the SLD population above the non-SLD comparator, along with an increased chance of school refusal and unemployed status. Medical costs of anxiety and depression outpatient visits, and societal costs of school refusal, as per parent absence, and that of unemployed status, as a loss of earnings, were implemented at the relevant state. Overall costs were calculated, given 70% of SLD patients, whose prevalence is 3-7% of the population, are unattended and thus result in secondary mental health problems and are associated with the listed school and work issues.
RESULTS: Total costs in untreated SLD were 375,238,057,688 yen within the model cohort of 1,004,360 person-years (py), whereas treated SLD accumulated up to 69,526,350,500 yen within the cohort of 208,140 py. Intervention to SLD cumulatively reduced cost by 39,573 yen per py (from 373,609 yen/py to 334,036 yen/py).
CONCLUSIONS: SLD indicated a significant incremental burden among Japanese youth, and further intervention is awaited.
METHODS: A Markov Model was constructed using the incremental incidence of anxiety and depression among the SLD population above the non-SLD comparator, along with an increased chance of school refusal and unemployed status. Medical costs of anxiety and depression outpatient visits, and societal costs of school refusal, as per parent absence, and that of unemployed status, as a loss of earnings, were implemented at the relevant state. Overall costs were calculated, given 70% of SLD patients, whose prevalence is 3-7% of the population, are unattended and thus result in secondary mental health problems and are associated with the listed school and work issues.
RESULTS: Total costs in untreated SLD were 375,238,057,688 yen within the model cohort of 1,004,360 person-years (py), whereas treated SLD accumulated up to 69,526,350,500 yen within the cohort of 208,140 py. Intervention to SLD cumulatively reduced cost by 39,573 yen per py (from 373,609 yen/py to 334,036 yen/py).
CONCLUSIONS: SLD indicated a significant incremental burden among Japanese youth, and further intervention is awaited.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-11, ISPOR Europe 2025, Glasgow, Scotland
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S2
Code
EE662
Topic
Economic Evaluation, Epidemiology & Public Health, Health Service Delivery & Process of Care
Topic Subcategory
Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies
Disease
Mental Health (including addition), Pediatrics