Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases at the moment. While disease management is associated with colossal direct health care costs, it also results in lower labor productivity in the population. For many years, there has been an active increase in the number of cases of diabetes of all types among the global population, which further aggravates the situation. The problem is relevant not only for the United States but also for other regions of the world. Diabetes has negative economic effects on both patients and society as a whole, making the increase in cases particularly threatening.
Diabetes management is a significant economic burden for both patients and the healthcare system. Sussman et al. (2020) note diabetes is associated with $ 237 billion annual medical expenses in the United States (p. 121). This figure represents 7% of the overall annual health care expenditures, which is more than any other chronic disease (Sussman et al., 2020, p. 121). It is also noteworthy that from 2007 to 2012, expenses increased by 41% (Hirsch & Morello, 2017, p. 231). Complications associated with diabetes are a major cause of death, morbidity, and financial burden that patients experience. Treatment is also a significant expense, as “in 2016, patients with type 1 diabetes spent $5700 per person on insulin, which accounted for 31% of the overall per-person spending for that year” (Sussman et al., 2020, p. 122). Thus, programs to prevent the development of diabetes and its associated complications are more beneficial than disease management for both patients and the healthcare system.
At the same time, the demographic and social characteristics of the modern population can be factors for the further deterioration of the situation. An aging population and the spread of obesity are contributing to an increase in the number of diabetic patients, whose number in 2017 reached 30.3 million in the United States alone (Hirsch & Morello, 2017, p. 231). In addition to increasing costs of disease management, patients suffering from complications often lose productivity, which also negatively affects their financial performance. This circumstance reduces the overall economic efficiency of the population due to lower work productivity, which could have been prevented. Afroz et al. (2020) note that “in 2017, an estimated US$89.9 billion was lost due to diabetes-related productivity losses in the USA” (p. 2). These numbers include losses due to premature death, presenteeism, and reduced labor force performance.
This situation is typical not only for the United States but is global in nature. For example, in South-East Asia, 88 million people between the ages of 20 and 79 have diabetes (Afroz et al., 2020, p. 1). It is estimated that in China, the equivalent of US $ 2.6 trillion is lost in GDP due to diabetes-related productivity loss, which is approximately US $ 45,959 per person (Afroz et al., 2020, p. 2). It is noteworthy that this problem affects not only high-income but also medium and low-income countries and continues to deteriorate. It is also critically important that rising direct health care costs result in higher taxes, which creates an additional burden on the population.
While type 2 diabetes occurs most often in adults, type 1 diabetes affects children and adolescents, which also increases costs. Mapa-Tassou et al. (2019) note that The number of cases of type 1 diabetes in children under 15 is growing rapidly, at an average of 3% annually (p. 2). While patients in more developed countries can receive timely care, in many African regions, limited access to treatment results in high mortality and morbidity rates. In Africa in 2017, 6% of deaths among the population aged 30 to 39 were due to diabetes (Mapa-Tassou et al., 2019, p. 2). Thus, in African countries, diabetes is dying of the working population, exacerbating the economic impact. As in other regions, African countries have colossal direct healthcare costs associated with diabetes, as well as indirect ones due to productivity losses.
An important effect of diabetes is also its impact on the life of individual members of society. In particular, patients may suffer from a persistent fear of complications or economic anxiety associated with disease management. In this situation, diabetes can become the cause of mental disorders, including depression. According to CDC (n.d), up to 50% of patients experience diabetes distress at any 18 months period (para. 14). The joint occurrence of these diseases negatively affects the management of each of them, which increases the risk of complications. These conditions lead to a potential increase in health care costs and an increase in the economic burden on patients.
Thus, diabetes is associated with negative economic effects due to direct and indirect costs. The growing number of cases around the world is a serious threat to the well-being of both developed and developing countries. Overall, diabetes leads to colossal health care costs, rising taxes, and losses in work productivity. Patients also face a significant financial burden due to the need to manage the disease and the complications that arise. Moreover, they may experience mental disturbances that further worsen the situation.
References
Afroz, A., Hird, T. R., Zomer, E., Owen, A., Chen, L., Ademi, Z., Liew, D., Magliano, D. J., & Billah, B. (2020). The impact of diabetes on the productivity and economy of Bangladesh. BMJ Global Health, 5(6), 1-8. Web.
CDC. (n.d). Diabetes: Mental health. Web.
Hirsch, J. D., & Morello, C. C. (2017). Economic impact of and treatment options for type 2 diabetes. The American Journal of Managed Care, 23(13), 231-240.
Mapa-Tassou, C., Katte, J. C., Maadjhou, C. M., & Mbanya, J. C. (2019). Economic impact of diabetes in Africa. Current Diabetes Reports, 19(5), 1-8. Web.
Sussman, M., Benner, J., Haller, M. J., Rewers, M., & Griffiths, R. (2020). Estimated lifetime economic burden of type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, 22(2), 121-130. Web.