Diabetes
Understanding diabetes disease management
Understanding diabetes disease management
for adults and children
Resources
Disease Profile:
Diabetes
More Americans have diabetes than ever before. The disease affects 18 million adults and children, yet almost a third of them may not know they have diabetes because it can develop gradually over many years, often with no symptoms.
Although more adults have diabetes, it affects children too. Approximately one in every 500 children and adolescents has type 1 diabetes.
The disease is on the rise, with 1.3 million new cases diagnosed each year. The 40-59 age group reports the greatest number of annual new cases, a grave concern to employers who are interested in their employees’ health and more effectively managing diabetes expenditures. National diabetes-related costs are staggering, amounting to $132 billion annually; $92 billion (70 %) are direct medical costs and the remaining $40 billion are indirect costs related to disability, work loss and premature death.
Diabetes increases the risk of coronary artery disease, the leading killer of men and women in the U.S. From two thirds to three fourths of people with diabetes die of some form of heart or blood vessel disease. Diabetes is also the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults and treated end-state renal (kidney) disease.
High-touch intervention
The Focused Health Program is designed to help adults and children better manage their diabetes. They work closely with their nurse manager (diabetes specialists) to understand their treatment, remain compliant with their medications, monitor their own blood sugar levels at work, home and school, and adopt healthy habits.
Results
Over time, enrollees report having:
- Greater ability to track and manage
fluctuations in their blood sugar levels - Enhanced knowledge about their medications
and controlling side effects - Higher commitment level to healthy nutrition
and exercise - Reduced absences at work and school
- Fewer diabetes-related ER visits and
hospital stays
Data excerpted from National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association and Mayo Clinic.
Diabetes costs are escalating for patients and their employers…