THE BURDEN OF STROKE - INCIDENCE, HOSPITALIZATIONS, MORTALITY, AND LIFE YEARS LOST IN SWEDEN 2000 - 2022.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There are no estimates of the disease burden and economic burden of stroke in Sweden for (>2) consecutive years. The objective of this study is to derive estimates of the annual disease and economic burden of stroke in Sweden for the years 2000-2022. METHODS: This study employs total population Swedish register data pertaining to hospital-based care, mortality and sickness-absenteeism reimbursement due to stroke for the period 2000-2022 in order to estimate the disease and economic burden of stroke. The annual economic burden of stroke was calculated for the years 2000-2022, using unit cost based on data from Statistics Sweden and the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, and reported in 2022 prices. RESULTS: The incidence of stroke among males aged 50 - < 60 and 60 - < 70, decreased by about 30 % and 50 % between 2000 and 2022. The corresponding figures among females were estimated at about 40 % and 50 %. Stroke mortality among persons aged > 50 years of age declined by > 60 % during the same period. decreased from 32 000 to 24 000, and mortality also decreased,- The decrease in mortalitly corresponds to a reduction in annual expected lost working years by about 50 % (7500 in 2000). The annual number of reimbursed days of sickness absenteeism is about the same at the end of the study period as in the beginning. The direct economic burden of stroke was estimated at about Euro 0.51 billion annually, while indirect costs (productivity losses) decreased from Euro 0.31 billion to Euro 0.24 billion. Thus, the total economic burden of stroke declined from Euro 0.84 billion in 2000 to Euro 0.74 billion in 2022. CONCLUSIONS: The decline in the economic burden of stroke over the study period reflects improved stroke treatment.