Economic costs of mental retardation, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, and vision impairment

The purpose of this study was to assess lifetime economic costs for people with four developmental disabilities (DDs): mental retardation, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, and vision impairment. Estimates were generated for direct medical costs, direct non-medical costs, and productivity losses resulting from increased morbidity and premature mortality. Findings suggest that lifetime costs, in excess of costs for individuals without DDs, are approximately $870,000 per person for mental retardation and $800,000 per person for cerebral palsy (in 2000 dollars). Analogous cost estimates for hearing loss and vision impairment are approximately $330,000 and $470,000, respectively. Roughly four-fifths of total costs reflect productivity losses.

Honeycutt, A. A., Grosse, S. D., Dunlap, L. J., Schendel, D. E., Chen, H., Brann, E., & al Homsi, G. (2003). Economic costs of mental retardation, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, and vision impairment. In B. M. Altman, S. N. Barnartt, G. E. Hendershot, & S. A. Larson (Eds.), Using survey data to study disability: Results from the National Health Survey on Disability (Vol. 3, pp. 207-228). (Research in Social Science and Disability; Vol. 3). UK: Emerald Group Publishing. DOI: 10.1016/S1479-3547%2803%2903011-2