Are There Shortages and Regional Disparities in Lecanemab Treatment Facilities? A Cross-Sectional Study
Introduction: Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, affecting 70% of patients with dementia. In Japan, over 5 million people aged 65 years and older had dementia in 2018, and this figure is expected to rise to 25% to 30% of this age group by 2045. In Japan, lecanemab, which was...
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SAGE Publishing
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Health Services Insights |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/11786329241299312 |
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| author | Kazuki Ohashi Ikuko Takahashi-Iwata Zhao Jieyu Ken Sakushima Ichiro Yabe Katsuhiko Ogasawara |
| author_facet | Kazuki Ohashi Ikuko Takahashi-Iwata Zhao Jieyu Ken Sakushima Ichiro Yabe Katsuhiko Ogasawara |
| author_sort | Kazuki Ohashi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, affecting 70% of patients with dementia. In Japan, over 5 million people aged 65 years and older had dementia in 2018, and this figure is expected to rise to 25% to 30% of this age group by 2045. In Japan, lecanemab, which was approved in 2023, is expected to be a new treatment for AD. However, lecanemab requires stringent management, including amyloid PET scans and MRI monitoring, necessitating specialized facilities, creating concerns regarding the lack of treatment facilities and poor treatment access. Methods: This study assessed spatial accessibility to lecanemab in Hokkaido, Japan, using geographic information system data. Hospitals were categorized into 3 scenarios based on their capacity to meet the treatment criteria. Service area analysis in each scenario evaluated the population coverage within 30-, 60-, and 120-minute travel times. The inverted two-step floating catchment area method was used to calculate the potential high-demand areas index (PHDI) for each hospital. Results: Population coverage ranged from 56% to 97%, depending on the scenario and travel time. Coverage for the most feasible scenario (Scenario 1) was 56%, 73.9%, and 88.3% within 30, 60, and 120 minutes, respectively. Northern and southern Hokkaido had the lowest coverage. PHDI analysis identified high-demand areas, with Sapporo facing potential overcapacity issues. Conclusion: Lecanemab highlights the need for strategic resource allocation to enhance accessibility and capacity. Establishing additional treatment centers, particularly in areas with poor accessibility and capacity, is crucial to maximize the benefits of treatment for dementia. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d732565308974b0a88b129c2732faa0b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1178-6329 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Services Insights |
| spelling | doaj-art-d732565308974b0a88b129c2732faa0b2024-11-19T06:03:19ZengSAGE PublishingHealth Services Insights1178-63292024-11-011710.1177/11786329241299312Are There Shortages and Regional Disparities in Lecanemab Treatment Facilities? A Cross-Sectional StudyKazuki Ohashi0Ikuko Takahashi-Iwata1Zhao Jieyu2Ken Sakushima3Ichiro Yabe4Katsuhiko Ogasawara5Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, JapanDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, JapanFaculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, JapanInstitute of Health Science Innovation for Medical Care, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, JapanDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, JapanFaculty of Engineering, Muroran Institute of Technology, Muroran, JapanIntroduction: Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, affecting 70% of patients with dementia. In Japan, over 5 million people aged 65 years and older had dementia in 2018, and this figure is expected to rise to 25% to 30% of this age group by 2045. In Japan, lecanemab, which was approved in 2023, is expected to be a new treatment for AD. However, lecanemab requires stringent management, including amyloid PET scans and MRI monitoring, necessitating specialized facilities, creating concerns regarding the lack of treatment facilities and poor treatment access. Methods: This study assessed spatial accessibility to lecanemab in Hokkaido, Japan, using geographic information system data. Hospitals were categorized into 3 scenarios based on their capacity to meet the treatment criteria. Service area analysis in each scenario evaluated the population coverage within 30-, 60-, and 120-minute travel times. The inverted two-step floating catchment area method was used to calculate the potential high-demand areas index (PHDI) for each hospital. Results: Population coverage ranged from 56% to 97%, depending on the scenario and travel time. Coverage for the most feasible scenario (Scenario 1) was 56%, 73.9%, and 88.3% within 30, 60, and 120 minutes, respectively. Northern and southern Hokkaido had the lowest coverage. PHDI analysis identified high-demand areas, with Sapporo facing potential overcapacity issues. Conclusion: Lecanemab highlights the need for strategic resource allocation to enhance accessibility and capacity. Establishing additional treatment centers, particularly in areas with poor accessibility and capacity, is crucial to maximize the benefits of treatment for dementia.https://doi.org/10.1177/11786329241299312 |
| spellingShingle | Kazuki Ohashi Ikuko Takahashi-Iwata Zhao Jieyu Ken Sakushima Ichiro Yabe Katsuhiko Ogasawara Are There Shortages and Regional Disparities in Lecanemab Treatment Facilities? A Cross-Sectional Study Health Services Insights |
| title | Are There Shortages and Regional Disparities in Lecanemab Treatment Facilities? A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | Are There Shortages and Regional Disparities in Lecanemab Treatment Facilities? A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Are There Shortages and Regional Disparities in Lecanemab Treatment Facilities? A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Are There Shortages and Regional Disparities in Lecanemab Treatment Facilities? A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | Are There Shortages and Regional Disparities in Lecanemab Treatment Facilities? A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | are there shortages and regional disparities in lecanemab treatment facilities a cross sectional study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/11786329241299312 |
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