Diabetes affects nearly 26 million Americans. It is the seventh leading cause of death and the leading cause of kidney failure, new blindness in adults, and leg/foot amputations unrelated to injury. Diabetes is also a major cause of heart disease and stroke and its other complications include hypertension, periodontal disease, nervous system damage, pregnancy risks, and depression.
The total estimated cost of diabetes in the U.S. in 2007 was $174 billion. Indirect costs — disability, work loss, premature death — were $58 billion. However, employers and employees can take steps to prevent or control this disease which accounts for 15 million lost work days and 120 million work days with reduced performance per year.
“While the number of people with diabetes is on the rise, it is important to recognize that the majority of Type 2 diabetes is a preventable as well as treatable illness that can be well managed. In fact, diabetes is one of the most significant conditions affecting employee health and productivity — but through an emphasis on primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention interventions, employers can help reduce the burden of illness and empower a healthier, more engaged workforce,” said Ron Loeppke, MD, MPH, FACOEM, president of ACOEM and Chairman of the Diabetes at Work group, a free on-line resource specifically designed to address the management of diabetes in the workplace as part of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Diabetes Education Program.