Studies on the cost of diabetes are a common form of diabetes
economic analysis in the literature. Most of the reports are specific to
the United States experience, but a number of reports have emerged
recently from other countries. The table below
outlines the cost estimates reported in the literature.
The estimates outlined below have been applied to address many
different arguments. Most often, though, they have been used to
highlight the importance of diabetes to health care systems and health
care insurers. A common twist on this argument is that these data
provide evidence of the need to devote more resources to diabetes care.
Is the economic burden of diabetes significant? The estimates below
clearly show that the cost of diabetes has likely risen substantially
over time. Reports by the ADA
and
Rubin suggest that the medical costs of diabetes
are significant.
One note of caution. It is tempting to use cost data in any effort to reduce the burdens of diabetes. One must be careful, though, in the means to which cost data are used to justify this end. Direct comparisons between the studies are usually not a good thing to do, because the methods used to estimate costs differ significantly between the studies.
Other Web Based Links:
Study | Year | Country | Total Costs | Direct Costs | Indirect Costs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Metropolitan Life | 1969 | USA | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 |
Metropolitan Life | 1973 | USA | 4.0 | 1.7 | 2.3 |
Metropolitan Life | 1975 | USA | 5.3 | 2.5 | 2.8 |
Kuberski, Bennett | 1976 | Guam | $ 3 million | $ 600,000 | $ 2.4 million |
Metropolitan Life | 1977 | USA | 6.8 | 3.4 | 3.4 |
National Medical Care Expenditure Survey | 1977 | USA | -- | 6.9 | -- |
Policy Analysis, Inc. | 1977 | USA | 10.8 | 3.7 | 7.1 |
Jonsson | 1978 | Sweden | 1317 million kronor | 568 mill. kronor | 749 mill. kronor |
Platt, Sudovar | 1979 | USA | 15.7 | 5.6 | 10.1 |
Miller | 1979 | USA | 12.4 | 7.4 | 5.0 |
Laing | 1979-80 | United Kingdom | 144 million pounds | 83.7 mill. pounds | 60.6 mill. pounds |
Metropolitan Life | 1980 | USA | 9.7 | 4.8 | 4.9 |
Smeeding, Booton | 1980 | USA | 18.9 | 5.7 | 10.0 |
Carter Center | 1980 | USA | -- | 7.9 | -- |
Metropolitan Life | 1984 | USA | 13.8 | 7.4 | 6.3 |
Gerard | 1984 | England & Wales | 259-603 million pounds | 239 mill. pounds | 20-364 mill. pounds |
Huse (NIDDM only) | 1986 | USA | 19.8 | 11.6 | 8.2 |
Laing, Williams | 1986-87 | England & Wales | -- | 484 million pounds | -- |
Fox, Jacobs | 1987 | USA | 20.4 | 9.6 | 10.8 |
Roesler | 1988 | USA (Minnesota) | 300 million | 190 million | 110 million |
Kegler | 1990 | USA (N. Carolina) | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
Phillips | 1991 | Mexico | $ 430 million | $ 100 million | $ 330 million |
ADA | 1992 | USA | 91.8 | 45.2 | 46.6 |
Rubin | 1992 | USA | -- | 105.2 | -- |
Warner | 1992 | USA (Texas) | 4.0 | 1.6 | 2.4 |
Gray (IDDM only) | 1992 | England & Wales | -- | 96 million pounds | 113 million pounds |
Stern (IDDM only) | 1993 | Israel | -- | 104,000 pounds/patient | -- |
Thom | 1993 | USA | 20 | 15 | 5 |
Hart (IDDM only) | 1994 | Spain | -- | 8.1 billion pesetas | -- |
ADA | 1997 | USA | 98.2 | 44.1 | 54.1 |
AIHW | 2000-1 | Australia | -- | 783.6 million $A | -- |
ADA | 2002 | USA | 132 | 91.8 | 39.8 |
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This page was last modified on 15 August 2005.
For further information about these estimates, see the specific references or contact:
Thomas Songer, PhD
Dept. of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15261 USA
Phone: 412 692 5918
Fax: 412 692 8329
E-mail: tjs+@pitt.edu