Economic impact of Diabetes #2

A relatively simple formula was used to derive the country estimates in this report. The accuracy of these estimates is subject to how well assumptions used in the formula fit the situation of each individual country. The estimated per capita expenditure on diabetes was compared with independent estimates obtained from industrialized countries where direct studies of diabetes costs have been conducted. The IDF approach appears to yield a reasonably accurate estimate. In general, these estimates are less accurate for developing countries than they are for developed countries because of poor quality data in the developing countries, underlining the need for well-designed health economic studies to understand the true impact of diabetes.

Besides the health expenditures, other measurements have also been used to asses the economic impact of diabetes. Several of such measures were described in the Diabetes Atlas, third edition. The main conclusions reached by using these measures include the following. First, diabetes also imposes a large financial burden on people with diabetes and their families.

The size of this burden depends on their economic status and the social insurance policies of the countries in which they live. Individuals with diabetes and their families in developing countries pay a larger share of the expenditure because of the poorer organized systems of medical care insurance and/or lack of governmental provision of medical services. In Latin America, families pay 40-60% of expenditures for medical care from their own pockets. In the poorest countries, people with diabetes and their families bear almost the whole cost of whatever medical care they can afford. In India, for example, the poorest persons with diabetes spend an average of 25% of their total income on healthcare.

Second, at the societal level, diabetes leads to loss in productivity and economic growth. The American Diabetes Association estimated that the US economy lost USD $58 billion, equivalent to about an half of the direct health care expenditure on diabetes in 2007, as a result of lost earnings due to lost work days, restricted activity days, lower productivity at work, mortality and permanent disability caused by diabetes. Such losses are perhaps relatively larger in poorer countries because premature death due to diabetes occurs at much younger ages. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts net losses in national income from diabetes and cardiovascular disease of ID557.7 billion in China, ID303.2 billion in the Russian Federation, ID336.6 billion in India, ID49.2 billion in Brazil and ID2.5 billion in Tanzania (2005 ID), between 2005 and 2015.

Finally, the largest economic burden caused by diabetes is the monetary value associated with disability and loss of life as a result of the disease itself and its related complications, including heart, kidney, eye and foot disease. Economists have used different methods to value disability and loss of life associated with diseases and the most appropriate method is still under debate. No matter what method is used, it is very likely the economic burden that is
measured by the monetary value associated with this disability and loss of life would be far larger than the estimated economic burden using measures described above.

Fortunately, the economic burden of diabetes can be reduced by implementing many inexpensive, easy-to-use interventions, and most of the interventions are cost-effective or cost-saving, even in the poorest countries. Tragically, these interventions are not widely used in poor and middle income countries. More resources should be invested to deliver these cost effective interventions, in particular to those in the developing countries where the great
majority of persons with diabetes live.

To read complete report, Click on LINK Below:

http://blogimages.bloggen.be/diabetescheck/attach/35597.pdf

www.DEPSYL.com

http://back2basicnutrition.com

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com