Abstract
Diabetes has become a major health problem in the United States and other parts of the world in recent times owing to the changing trends in the predisposing factors. Taking into account that the disease is chronic makes it a major public health problem since its impact to healthcare and the patient increases with age. Patients suffering from diabetes and their families suffer the highest burden from the disease through complications that lowers the life expectancy while diminishing the quality of life for the patients. The largest impact of diabetes has been felt in the health systems where large portion of resources are continually allocated to cover for medication and nursing personnel. The burden caused to the health institutions and providers is enormous considering the amount of productivity and personnel who are consistently in charge of emanating the disorder. There is need for concerted efforts in terms of prevention and treatment programs to help lower the negative impacts of the disease on the patients, society and national economies.
Introduction
Diabetes has become a major health problem in the United States and other parts of the world in recent times owing to the changing trends in the predisposing factors. According to McDowell et al (2007, p. 2), diabetes usually refers to a medical condition that ensures the body has persistently high amounts of blood sugar occasioned by the inability of the body to produce or utilise it. Although there are many forms of diabetes, the commonest include type 1 and type 2 diabetes that are responsible for causing massive suffering to patients. Taking into account that the disease is chronic makes it a major public health problem since its impact to healthcare and the patient increases with age. Significant improvements on the treatment methods have been achieved in the last few decades. Over reliance on high dosages of insulin has been replaced with innovative drug and preventive therapies that are informed by evidence based practice (McDowell et al, 2007, p. 2). Further improvements have been achieved in treating the complications which are the major causes of fatalities and disabilities in patients. This research paper will describe diabetes while taking closer interest on its impact on healthcare in the world.
Effects to patients and family set-up
Diabetes has persistently offered major challenges to public health with negative impacts to the patient, society, healthcare and the economic situation of many countries (Colwell, 2003, p. 6). An alarming increase of the prevalence of diabetes in the developed countries has continually worried the health authorities. More importantly, the increase in the number of obese persons coupled with the sedentary lifestyle that is fuelled by the improvements in technology has brought forward the need for intensive preventive programs targeting lifestyle changes in the society. The World Health Organisation estimates about 170 million people suffer from the chronic disorder in the globe, which represents about 2.79 % of the population (American Diabetes Association, 2003, p. 920). With the prevalence expected to double in the next years and rapid increases in the incidences, several measures and policy changes have to be implemented in order to curtail the alarming trend.
Patients suffering from diabetes and their families suffer the highest burden from the disease. Not only does the disease have major complications on the body functions but also lowers the life expectancy while diminishing the quality of life for the patients. Moreover, the family is overly overwhelmed economically owing to the demanding and persistence of the condition. According to Theodore and Varavikova (2008, p. 34), the expenses accrued due to diabetes has been shown to escalate in recent years. Furthermore, medical expenses due to diabetes have proved to be a major drain particularly for low and middle income families who lack basic health insurance policies (Theodore and Varavikova, 2008, p. 34). Considering most of the drugs are bought through out of pocket payments makes the families to continually suffer while the patient undergoes further agony due to irregularities in accessing drugs.
Impact to health systems
The largest impact of diabetes has been felt in the health systems where large portion of resources are continually allocated to cover for medication and nursing personnel. Since majority of the health systems in the developed world are public funded, the governments have not been spared with much of the health budgets going into buying medications for diabetes and other chronic disorders. Moreover, the utilisation of a sizeable proportion of the trained health workforce on diabetes management has exposed the society to other health problems while diminishing the quality of quality care in the hospitals. According to Dubois and Bankauskaite (2005, p. 21), several countries had established national programs targeting diabetes management with mixed rates of success. In the developing world, management of the diabetes programs has remained a challenge, despite the fact that only a small proportion of the population is affected. Majority of the developing countries suspended the programs due to the lack of adequate funding particularly after donors pulled out of the funding arrangement.
The management of diabetes particularly for people aged between 20 and 80 years is estimated to cost about 280 billion US dollars yearly in direct healthcare costs alone. This amount constitutes a heavy burden considering that the disease can be prevented by innovative and cost effective strategies (Cronin, 2010, p. 32). The situation is no different in the United States where about 130 billion dollars are spent on directly and indirectly related health expenditure in health management (American Diabetes Association, 2003, p. 920). The excessive costs in health costs is due to skyrocketing prices and extensive consumption of drugs and high numbers of hospitalisation days that are coupled with expensive treatment procedures for outpatients and the high costs of running the nursing homes (Clement et al, 2004, p. 554). With more than 50% of the cost going directly into management of chronic and general medical conditions, there is need to increase screening and diagnostic techniques to enhance the early detection of the condition thereby lowering the expenditure. While the prevalence of diabetes stands at 4 % in the United States, expenditure estimates has shown that one out of every five dollars spent is directed to diabetes management. The situation is made even dull by the fact that the major component of the US population is progressing towards old age which is a predisposing factor for the disease and complications.
Impact to health institutions
People suffering from diabetes have a three-fold propensity of undergoing hospitalisation when compared to those without it. Moreover, the risks of getting admitted to a hospital are always increased in diabetes regardless of the immediate reason for seeking medical attention. The risk is greatly increased by factors such as age and the length of suffering combined with the number of complications experienced due to the chronic disorder. Silink (2006, p. 86), noted that about 15 to 20% of all hospitalised cases are due to diabetes. The burden caused to the health institutions and providers is enormous considering the amount of productivity and personnel who are consistently in charge of providing patient care. More importantly, the hospitalised cases take longer durations in the facilities that other patients owing to the fact that admission is mainly due to co-morbid conditions such as cardiovascular and other related complications (Piwernetz, 11993, p. 372). Diabetes care and management is a common challenge that the nursing homes and elderly homes face on a regular basis (Vijan, Hayward & Langa, 2004, p. 6). Large numbers of the nursing workforce continually offer their services in these homes taking into consideration the inability of the inhabitants to care for them due to old age coupled by the complications which may results in physical disability (Newson, Patel & Shah, 2006, p. 43).
Conclusion
Diabetes is a major health problem has continually caused much suffering to patients and families while causing a major strain on the health systems of many countries. More importantly, the negative economic impact of the disease has served to diminish the productivity in the health sector thereby leading to poor quality patient care. There is need for concerted efforts in terms of prevention and treatment programs to help lower the negative impacts of the disease on the patients, society and national economies.
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