The Associated Press produced a worthwhile piece about diabetics who are risking their lives by skimping on doctor visits and medication to save money.
The AP reported:
“Doctors have seen a drop in regular appointments with diabetic patients, if they come back at all. Patients more often seek tax-subsidized or charity care. And they end up in emergency rooms more often, patients and physicians said in interviews.
“Sales of top-selling drugs and other products used to treat and monitor the disease have dropped since the economic crisis accelerated last fall, the AP analysis found. There are even signs that some patients are choosing less-expensive insulin injections over pricier pills to save money.
“Meanwhile, the number of people with the disease keeps growing — another 1.6 million Americans were diagnosed in 2007 alone.
“People with other health problems also are cutting back on care amid the recession, but diabetics who don’t closely monitor and control the chronic disease risk particularly dire complications: amputations, vision loss, stroke — even death.”
An endocrinologist quoted in the story said he has seen a surge of diabetic patients who are coming to his free clinic looking for help. Many of the patients, he said, have stopped taking their medication. When left uncontrolled, diabetes can lead to wounds that won’t heal, gum problems, blurry vision and more.
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The American Diabetes Association recently commissioned a survey that found Americans fear chronic illness more than job loss or debt.
Here are some of the survey results:
- “More than half (52 percent) of Americans say the worst thing that could happen to them, from a pre-identified list, is developing a chronic illness compared with amassing considerable financial debt (19 percent), getting divorced or living alone (13 percent), or losing their job (11 percent).”
- “About half of Americans have not talked to their doctor about common chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS or Alzheimer’s.”
- “While nearly all adults can correctly name at least one risk factor for diabetes — more than half of those polled mistakenly cited ‘eating too much sugar’ as a risk factor for diabetes.”
- “Significant numbers of people who report they are extremely or very likely to develop diabetes have engaged in behaviors that they feel will put them at risk for the disease. Majorities acknowledge that they have followed a poor diet (67 percent) or maintained an unhealthy weight (62 percent) yet even larger majorities recognize being overweight or obese (83 percent) as a risk factor for diabetes.”
- “Overall, 66 percent of adults say avoiding doctors visits is risky, yet 50 percent admit to this behavior.”
- “Likewise, 70 percent of all adults view maintaining an unhealthy weight as risky, yet 46 percent admit to doing so.”
