The incremental direct costs associated with behavioral symptoms in XXXX .

@entity1 @entity73 @entity146 @entity195
OBJECTIVE: To determine the incremental costs associated with behavioral symptoms in @entity1 with @entity195 . METHODS: A total of 128 @entity1 with probable @entity195 were enrolled into this study. Cognitive function and extrapyramidal features were assessed in @entity1 with @entity195 . Caregivers were interviewed to determine use of health care services, receipt of unpaid care, severity of behavioral symptoms ( @entity146 Inventory [NPI]), and comorbid medical conditions in @entity1 with @entity195 . Healthcare utilization data were multiplied by unit costs to estimate direct formal costs. Unpaid caregiving hours were multiplied by an hourly wage to estimate direct informal costs. The annual incremental direct costs of additional behavioral symptoms were estimated with multiple regression equations. RESULTS: Annual, direct costs were significantly higher in @entity1 with @entity195 at or above the median score on the NPI (high NPI group), after adjusting for group differences in severity of @entity73 and comorbid conditions. @entity1 in the high NPI group had formal costs between US 3,162 and US 5,919 higher than the low NPI group and total direct costs between US 10,670 and US 16,141 higher, depending on the severity of @entity73 . Models for the entire sample estimated that a one-point increase in the NPI score would result in an annual increase of between US 247 and US 409 in total direct costs, depending on the value of unpaid caregiving. CONCLUSIONS: Behavioral symptoms in @entity1 with @entity195 significantly increase direct costs of care.
