Economic burden of diabetes continues to grow

Recent study findings published in Diabetes Care suggest that the economic burden of diabetes in the United States is continuing to rise.

“These statistics underscore the importance of findings ways to reduce the burden of prediabetes and diabetes through better prevention and treatment,” Timothy M. Dall, MS, managing director with IHS Life Sciences in Washington, DC, said in a press release. “The costs, in both financial and quality of life terms, are exceptionally high and in many cases could be preventable.”

According to the report, there has been a 48% rise in direct and indirect costs associated with diabetes over the last 5 years. The rise can be attributed to those diagnosed with diabetes (21 million people) as well as those undiagnosed (8.1 million), those with gestational diabetes (222,000 people) and adults with prediabetes (86 million).

“The large economic burden associated with diagnosed diabetes (all ages), [gestational diabetes] and prediabetes (adults) is estimated to be $322 billion in 2012, including $244 billion in higher medical expenditures and $78 billion in reduced productivity,” the researchers wrote. “This annual burden exceeds $1,000 for each person in the [United States]. The sobering statistics presented in this study underscore the urgency to better understand the cost mitigation potential of prevention and treatment strategies.”

In an accompanying editorial, William T. Cefalu, editor of Diabetes Care, and colleagues wrote that the increasing economic burden can lead to future burdens and undiagnosed diabetes.

“We believe that identifying prediabetes is worthwhile from both a clinical and a public standpoint,” they wrote. “The need to identify those with undiagnosed diabetes is even more pressing.”

For more information:

Cefalu WT. Diabetes Care. 2014;37:1-2.

Dall TM. Diabetes Care. 2014;37:3172-3179.

Disclosure: See the full study for a complete list of the researchers’ relevant financial disclosures.