Diabetes, healthcare cost and loss of productivity in Sweden 1987 and 2005--a register-based approach.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to estimate healthcare cost and productivity losses as a result of diabetes and diabetes-related chronic complications in Sweden in 1987 and 2005.


METHODS
Published estimates on relative risks and Swedish age-specific diabetes-prevalence rates were used to calculate the proportions of diabetes-related chronic complications that are attributable to diabetes. These attributable risks were applied to cost estimates for diabetes-related chronic complications based on data from Swedish population registers.


RESULTS
The estimated total costs for Sweden in 1987 and 2005 were EUR439m and EUR920m, respectively. The increase of 110% was as a result of a 69% increase in the estimated prevalence from 150 000 (1.8% of the population) to 254 000 (2.8%) and of an increase in the estimated annual cost per person diagnosed with diabetes by 24%. Healthcare accounted for 45% of the estimated cost in 1987 and for 37% in 2005. The estimated diabetes-related healthcare cost accounted for approximately 1.0% of total healthcare cost in Sweden in 1987 and for 1.4% in 2005. Diabetes per se accounted for 57% of the healthcare cost in 1987 and for 50% in 2005. The most important chronic complication was cardiovascular disease.


CONCLUSIONS
The cost of diabetes is substantial and increasing even in a fairly low-prevalence country such as Sweden. Measures to curb the increase in prevalence and to improve individual control of his or her diabetes seem to be the most important challenges.
Bolin
K
K
Department of Economics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Gip
C
C
Mörk
A-C
AC
Lindgren
B
B
D017281:Cost of Illness; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology