OBJECTIVES: This study estimates the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of group music therapy (MT) in reducing clinically-significant agitation among people with dementia (PWD) as compared to treatment as usual (TAU). We aim to better define the cost-effectiveness of MT among this population and expand on existing literature.

METHODS: This model leverages the results of a randomized control trial among elderly PWD living in care homes in Taiwan as well as various existing studies concerning dementia, MT, and agitation among PWD in order to estimate an ICER between MT and TAU. Participants in the trial had their level of agitation measured by the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI), and we leveraged those scores to estimate proportions of clinically significantly agitated participants. Using a decision tree model, we input these estimated proportions as well as cost data from the existing literature to find a resulting ICER.

RESULTS: MT was found to be cost-saving when compared to TAU with an ICER of -$1,213 per 6 weeks of avoided agitation for PWD. MT dominates TAU as an intervention for mitigating clinically significant agitation among PWD.

CONCLUSIONS: Group music therapy, with low cost, no adverse effects, and apparent cost-effectiveness, should be implemented in care homes in order to reduce overall agitation rates of resident PWD. This will result in not only cost savings, but improve quality of life and outcomes for PWD as well. Future research will map results to QALYs.