Abstract
The present study discussed the Swedish results from the European project "Cost of disorders of the brain in Europe". The aim of the project was to estimate the overall prevalence and total cost of brain disorders in Europe. The specific results for Sweden, show that more than one fifth of the inhabitants in Sweden suffer from a brain disorder. The cost of brain disorders in Sweden is estimated at 9.4 billion Euro in 2004 (SEK 85 billion) which exceeds the total cost of cancer and cardiovascular disease together, which corresponds to an annual cost per inhabitant of ? 1 100 per (SEK 10 000) or constituting 3% of the Swedish national income. Although there are considerable uncertainties in the cost estimates presented, our results indicate that brain disorders are of major concern for the individuals afflicted and society in general, but that further health economic studies on brain disorders are heavily needed in Sweden to gain an even better understanding of the actual burden of the disease group to society.
