Living with poorly managed diabetes dramatically increases the chances of diabetes cost at least twice as much per person as …
Diabetes Facts: Diabetes in Alaska
Living with poorly managed diabetes dramatically increases the chances of premature death, heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness
What is diabetes costing Alaskans in terms ofLives? Alaskans at Risk
Diabetes is most common among people who are: 45 or older, obese, related to someone with diabetes, or physically inactive About one-third of Americans with diabetes do not know they have it8 This means that an additional 13,000 Alaskans may be at increased risk of diabetes complications because they are not getting the preventive care they need Based on national figures8, we estimate that as many as 122,000 Alaskan adults may have pre-diabetes, and could develop diabetes if they do not take action
In 2003-2005, an annual average of 22,130 Alaskans 18 years of age were living with diabetes, up 36 from 1999-20011 The percentage of Alaska Natives with diabetes has more than doubled since 19902 Since 1996, diabetes has been the 7th leading cause of death in Alaska3
Quality of life?
More than a third 38 of Alaskans with diabetes said their health was fair or poor in 2003-20051 Among Alaska men 35 with diabetes, 12 have heart
disease and 9 have had a stroke1 Nearly half of all Alaskans who started dialysis in 2003-2005 had diabetes-related kidney disease4 About one in five Alaskans with diabetes has vision damage from the disease1
The Power of Prevention
Diabetes and complications of diabetes can be prevented or delayed by keeping blood glucose levels within the normal range Alaskans can reduce their own diabetes-related risks by: Being screened for diabetes and its risk factors Maintaining a healthy weight Being physically active Avoiding tobacco use, and Following health care recommendations for exams, tests, and medications
Economic burden?
Direct and indirect costs associated with diabetes amounted to more than 360 million in 20055 Health care for Alaska Medicaid recipients with diabetes cost at least twice as much per person as it did for recipients without diabetes each year from 2001 to 20056 In 2002-2004, nearly 12 of all adult hospital discharges in Alaska included a diabetes diagnosis; these hospital stays lasted an average of nearly 5 days and cost more than 283 million7
Alaskans with diabetes need these resources
Access to diabetes education Low cost diabetes medications,
monitoring devices and test strips Access to diabetes preventive care services recommended by the State of Alaska and the American Diabetes Association, including annual dilated eye and dental exams, professional foot exams, kidney function and blood tests, and dietary, exercise and podiatry services as needed Access to all school activities for children with diabetes, which means their schools must have appropriate health emergency plans
Nearly 10 of these discharges, with a total cost of about 35 million, were for hospital stays Produced by the Diabetes Program, that could have been DivioidedPwitlih Health, Aate av sion of ub c adequ laska Department of Health and Social 7 preventive care Services 1/22/2007
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Alaska Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 19992005, unpublished data; http://wwwanmcorg/services/diabetes/ ; Top ten leading 4 causes of death for Alaska Available at: http://wwwhssstateakus/dph/bvs/data/defaulthtm; Northwest Renal Network annual reports 5 Available at: http://wwwnwrenalnetworkorg/ARShtm; ADA Hogan P, Dall T and Nikolov P Economic costs of diabetes in the US in 2002 6 7 Diabetes Care March 2003;26:917-932 Modified using the US Cost of Living
index; Alaska Medicaid claims, unpublished data; Alaska 8 Hospital Discharge Dataset, 2002-2004, unpublished data; Cowie CC, Rust KF et al Prevalence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in adults in the US population: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 19992002 Diabetes Care June 2006;29:1263-1268
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Source:fns.usda.gov
