Economic burden of treatment resistant depression in Korea: a 28-day health-state-specific cost analysis

Curr Med Res Opin. 2026 Jun 11:1-11. doi: 10.1080/03007995.2026.2683436. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) imposes a substantial economic burden on South Korea, yet limited cost data exist for the TRD stage. This study estimated the 28-day societal costs of TRD across distinct health states.

METHODS: A mixed micro-macro-costing approach was used to estimate direct medical, non-medical, and indirect costs from a societal perspective across four health states (major depressive episodes [MDE], treatment response, remission, and recovery). Healthcare resource utilization was assessed through expert consultation with eight board-certified psychiatrists. The unit costs were derived from national fee schedules, published literature, and national statistics. Indirect costs included productivity losses due to absenteeism, presenteeism, and suicide-related mortality.

RESULTS: Over a 28-day cycle, the per-patient direct medical cost in the MDE state ($803.2) was 15.2 times higher than that in the recovery state ($52.8). From a societal perspective, the 28-day economic burden during the MDE state ($2,388.4) was 25.7 times greater than that of the recovery state ($93.1). In the MDE state, indirect costs constituted the largest component of this 28-day societal burden ($1,074.6; 45% of total costs), followed by direct medical costs ($803.2; 34%).

CONCLUSIONS: TRD imposes a substantial economic burden on South Korea, with costs peaking during acute episodes. These findings underscore the critical importance of clinical interventions that reduce episode duration and accelerate recovery to minimize healthcare utilization and societal costs.

PMID:42275136 | DOI:10.1080/03007995.2026.2683436