Role of Diabetes Self-management Education for Our Health Systems and Economy

Diabetes mellitus is a global health burden, with factors contributing to its prevalence and costs. Educating people with diabetes improves outcomes and affects the economic burden on the individual and health systems.

We included recent diabetes data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and articles from PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE.

Diabetes prevalence in the United States increased from 10.3% in 2001 to 14.7% in 2021. Factors contributing are an aging population, increased obesity, and social determinants of health. Total costs for diabetes in 2022 reached $412.9 billion, consisting of 74% direct medical and around 26% indirect costs. The highest medical expenses were hospital inpatient services ($96.2 billion), and indirect costs were decreased productivity while at work ($35.8 billion). The effect on the health economy in the United States and globally is only increasing. Interventions to improve disease outcomes such as diabetes education programs that teach self-management skills, healthy lifestyle behaviors, and coping strategies have improved glycated hemoglobin A1c and other outcomes. The economic effect of education is not well studied. However, the Diabetes Prevention Program demonstrated the benefits of lifestyle-based education in preventing or delaying the development of type 2 diabetes in high-risk people and in being cost-effective long term.

High direct and indirect costs and the prevalence of diabetes require urgent global awareness and interventions from many angles. We encourage clinicians and agencies to prioritize the education of people living with diabetes to prevent and treat diabetes and its complications.