[Costs of temporary disability in Spain related to diabetes mellitus and its complications]

Abstract

Introduction and objectives: To ascertain the socioeconomic impact of diabetes, it is essential to estimate overall costs, including both direct and indirect costs (premature retirements, working hours lost, or sick leaves). This study analyzed indirect costs for temporary disability (TD) due to diabetes and its complications in Spain in 2011 by assessing the related ICD-9 MC codes.

Material and method: For this purpose, the number of TD processes and their mean duration were recorded. The indirect costs associated to loss of working days were also estimated.

Results: In 2011, diabetes and its complications were related to 2.567 TD processes, which resulted in the loss of 154.214 days. In terms of costs, this disease represented for Spanish public health administrations an expense of 3,297.095.3 €, with an estimated cost per patient and year of 141 €.

Conclusions: These data suggest an urgent need to devise plans for prevention and early diagnosis of diabetes and its complications, as well as programs to optimize the available health care resources by creating multidisciplinary teams where occupational medical services assume an important role. A decrease in absenteeism would result in benefits for diabetic patients, society overall, and companies or public institutions.

Keywords: Coste económico; Diabetes mellitus; Economic burden; Incapacidad temporal; Medicina del trabajo; Occupational health; Occupational medicine; Salud laboral; Temporary disability.