Health economic and process evaluation of AT interventions for persons with dementia and their relatives – A suggested assessment model

Abstract

There is growing interest in assistive technology (AT) as a means of enabling participation in everyday activities for persons with dementia and their relatives. Health economic assessment of AT in dementia is of importance due to the consequences of the disease for both patients and relatives and to the high societal costs for dementia care. The aim of this article is to outline a model for assessment of AT interventions for persons with dementia. The model expands existing assessment models as it also includes evaluation of the intervention process. Methodological challenges and possibilities in making health economic assessments, including outcomes and costs, as well as process evaluation, are discussed in the article.