JEDDAH – Recent studies revealed that diabetes affects patients, employers, and society not only by reducing employment, but also by contributing to work loss through absenteeism and health-related work limitations for those who remain employed. Evidence showed that the economic burden associated with diabetes is likely to increase as diabetes becomes more prevalent. Moreover, the overall work loss associated with diabetes (a highly prevalent disease) at a population level is likely to be much larger compared with that of less prevalent diseases. According to American Diabetes Association, one study showed that among individuals with diabetes, the absolute probability of working was 4.4 percentage points less for women and 7.1 percentage points less for men relative to that of their counterparts without diabetes. Change in weekly hours worked was not statistically significantly associated with diabetes. Women with diabetes had 2 more work-loss days per year compared with women without diabetes. Compared with individuals without diabetes, men and women with diabetes were 5.4 and 6 percentage points (absolute increase), respectively, more likely to have work limitations. Moreover, a new global survey released recently suggested that patients with type 2 diabetes in the Middle East are being exposed to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The survey which was commissioned by MSD and undertaken by Bryter Research, showed that physicians reported that on average, only 51 percent of their type 2 diabetes patients are taking a cholesterol-lowering medication (statin). This is despite International Diabetes Federation (IDF) guidelines stating that a statin should be prescribed to all type 2 diabetes patients over the age of 40, or all those with declared CVD. Ninety-nine percent of the patients with type 2 diabetes surveyed were over 40. The survey, which was conducted across India, Mexico and the Middle East, was specifically designed to focus on regions of the world where diabetes and the associated complication, cardiovascular disease, remain highest. Type 2 diabetics are two to four times more likely to die from heart disease than people without diabetes, even in patients over the age of 65. In Saudi Arabia, over 19 percent of the adult population already suffer from diabetes, with estimates suggesting that two out of three of these patients will die from heart disease. “Diabetes is a major cause of heart disease and stroke,” said Soren Bo Christiansen, MSD President of Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA). “It is critical that we manage this cardiovascular risk to improve patients' long-term outcomes, and provide patient education to achieve a better understanding of their CVD risk.” Dr. Wail Al-Qasim, General Manager, MSD in Saudi Arabia, said “diabetes is already an epidemic in Saudi Arabia, with the country ranking 7th in the world in terms of prevalence. Additionally, the IDF estimates that more than 15,339 Saudis die each year as a result of diabetes and its complications. If we are to reduce these alarming numbers, we must focus on addressing the low levels of awareness about diabetes and its associated risks.” At the time of the survey, less than one third (32 percent) of diabetic patients in the Middle East, reported they had ever been advised to take a cholesterol-lowering medication (statin) and only 19 percent reported that they were currently taking one at the time of the survey. In a similar online survey conducted in India, 60 percent of patients with type 2 diabetes reported they had been advised to take a statin, with 47 percent reporting that they were currently taking this medication. While in the Mexican survey, 60 percent of patients also reported they had been advised to take a statin but only a third reported they were currently taking one. Comparatively, according to survey results, only 32 percent of patients in the Middle East noted that they had been advised to take statin, with only 19 percent currently taking them. “Reducing the risk of CVD is a major concern from my perspective when treating patients with type 2 diabetes,” said Nidal Fakhoury, Managing Director of MSD in the Middle East. “If these survey results teach us anything, it is that we need better communication between physicians and patients and greater public awareness on the serious CVD risks diabetics face. It is only through communication and awareness that patients will begin to receive appropriately individualized treatment plans. MSD is committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure that this happens, and we will continue to push for greater awareness, knowing that through better communication we can save lives.” The financial burden that diabetes places on both the state and the individual is already exponential, with around 14 percent of healthcare budgets in the Middle East, or $5.5 billion being spent on diabetes each year. It is estimated that families that have diabetic members may spend up to 25 percent of their monthly incomes on diabetes care. Addressing the high cardiovascular risk that diabetics face will go a long way toward reducing the heavy burden the state and individuals face. Hence, as diabetes becomes more prevalent in the population, its effects on employment and work productivity are likely to become more pressing for society. — SG
