New Rochelle, NY, May 7, 2009—Approximately 6.3 million adults—or one fourth of the people in the U.S. with diabetes mellitus—are unaware they have the disease, and this undiagnosed population accounts for an estimated $18 billion in health care costs each year, according to a study in a recent issue of Population Health Management, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (www.liebertpub.com). The article is available free online at www.liebertpub.com/pop
Yiduo Zhang, PhD, from the Lewin Group (Falls Church, VA), and colleagues from Ingenix Pharmainformatics (Cary, NC), and Ingenix Research (Basking Ridge, NJ), studied the health care use patterns of a group of people for the 2-year period leading up to a diagnosis of diabetes. They used these findings as the basis for economic estimates they present in the report, "The Economic Costs of Undiagnosed Diabetes."
Diabetes costs the U.S. economy about $174 billion in 2007 in medical expenses and lost productivity, but that figure does not take into account the national economic costs associated with undiagnosed diabetes, which could raise the estimate to more than $192 billion. Yearly health care needs for individuals with undiagnosed diabetes tend to be higher than for persons who do not have diabetes. The health care costs associated with diabetes begin to increase at least 8 years before diagnosis and grow at a faster rate shortly before and after diagnosis.
"Diabetes is one of the most devastating chronic diseases and costs the nation billions of dollars. Building an evidence base as to what works and what doesn't is going to be critical," says Journal Editor-in-Chief David B. Nash, MD, MBA, Dean and Dr. Raymond C. and Doris N. Grandon Professor of Health Policy, Jefferson School of Population Health, Philadelphia, PA.
Population Health Management is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published bimonthly in print and online that reflects the expanding scope of health care management and quality. The Journal delivers a comprehensive, integrated approach to the field of population health and provides information designed to improve the systems and policies that affect health care quality, access, and outcomes, thereby improving the health of an entire population. Comprising peer-reviewed original research articles, clinical research, and case studies, the content includes a broad range of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic pain, diabetes, depression, and obesity, as well as focusing on various aspects of prevention and wellness. Tables of contents and a free sample issue may be viewed online at (www.liebertpub.com/pop). Population Health Management is the Official Journal of DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance (www.dmaa.org).
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (www.liebertpub.com) is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Journal of Women's Health, Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics, and Obesity Management. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 60 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available at www.liebertpub.com
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Population Health Management