How Much Does Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Cost Society in Young People?

What you need to know

• Pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) costs society significantly more than the average cost for children without OCD.
• The main drivers of increased costs are healthcare visits, parental work absence, and reduced school productivity.
• More severe OCD symptoms are associated with higher societal costs.

Understanding the Economic Impact of OCD in Young People

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that affects about 1-2% of children and adolescents. People with OCD experience recurring, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and feel compelled to perform repetitive behaviors (compulsions) to relieve anxiety. While we know OCD can significantly impact a young person’s life, little research has looked at its economic effects on society.

This study aimed to measure the financial cost of pediatric OCD in Sweden by comparing children with OCD to those without the disorder. The researchers looked at various costs, including healthcare visits, medications, parental work absence, and impacts on school attendance and performance.

How the Study Was Conducted

The study included two groups of participants:

1. OCD group: 152 children aged 7-17 with diagnosed OCD
2. Control group: 768 children of similar ages from the general population

Both groups completed questionnaires about their use of healthcare services, medications, school attendance, and other factors over a 3-month period. The researchers then calculated the annual costs for each group and compared them.

Key Findings: The Cost of Pediatric OCD

Higher Overall Costs

The study found that children with OCD cost society significantly more than those without the disorder:

• OCD group: Average annual cost of €11,941 per child
• Control group: Average annual cost of €6,380 per child

This means that OCD was associated with an additional cost of €5,560 per child per year, or about 87% higher than the control group.

Main Drivers of Increased Costs

The researchers identified three primary areas where OCD led to higher costs:

1. Healthcare visits: Children with OCD had healthcare costs more than twice as high as the control group. This was mainly due to more frequent visits to mental health professionals like psychologists and social workers.

2. Parental work absence: Parents of children with OCD missed more work days to care for their children or attend medical appointments. This led to 76% higher costs due to lost work productivity.

3. School productivity loss: Children with OCD reported more difficulty concentrating and performing well in school, even when attending. This “presenteeism” resulted in costs more than three times higher than the control group.

Relationship Between Symptom Severity and Costs

An important finding was that more severe OCD symptoms were associated with higher societal costs. This suggests that effective treatment to reduce symptoms could potentially lead to cost savings for society.

Implications and Conclusions

Based on their findings, the researchers estimated that pediatric OCD costs Swedish society approximately €94.3 million per year. This highlights the significant economic impact of the disorder and emphasizes the importance of early detection and effective treatment.

The study’s results have several important implications:

• Healthcare systems should prioritize access to evidence-based OCD treatments for children and adolescents.
• Schools may need additional resources to support students with OCD and help them maintain academic performance.
• Employers should consider policies that support parents of children with OCD, recognizing the increased need for time off work.
• Further research into cost-effective treatments for pediatric OCD could lead to significant societal benefits.

It’s important to note that this study was conducted in Sweden, and costs may vary in other countries with different healthcare systems. However, the overall pattern of increased costs associated with pediatric OCD is likely to be similar across developed nations.

Conclusions

• Pediatric OCD is associated with significantly higher societal costs compared to children without the disorder.
• The main areas of increased costs are healthcare visits, parental work absence, and reduced school productivity.
• More severe OCD symptoms are linked to higher costs, suggesting that effective treatment could lead to cost savings.
• These findings highlight the importance of early identification and treatment of OCD in children and adolescents.