one in five people with diabetes loses up to fifteen hours of work per month due to hypoglycemia
A new study, sponsored by Novo Nordisk, which analyzes the loss of labor productivity as a result of hypoglycemia, has been published in the magazine ‘Value in Health’
Copenhagen (Denmark) (8-6-11) .- Almost one in five people with diabetes is absent from their work, at least, a complete working day as a consequence of hypoglycemia.A new study, sponsored by Novo Nordisk, which analyzes the loss of labor productivity as a result of hypoglycemia, has been published in the magazine ‘Value in Health’.It included 1,404 people with type 1 diabetes and type 2 of the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and France, which had reported a hypoglycemic event during the previous month.
The main conclusions of the study were two: the average loss of labor productivity, per person and month, after an event of nocturnal hypoglycemia, was 14.7 hours, with an economic value of $ 2,294 lost in labor productivity per person and year;And hypoglycemic events usually occur during the night, and one in five people was late for work or lost the entire working day due to that night episode.
Those events that occurred during the hours of work resulted in 18.3 percent of workers who had to leave their job before or lose an entire day.
"Many people with diabetes have to regularly face hypoglycemia," explained the principal researcher and health psychologist, Dr. Mery Brod.“It is not just about the impact that it has on the patient's working life, but also increases the need for the patient to become more glucose controls throughout the day.In addition, night hypoglycemia are a challenge for people with diabetes. ”
The study also revealed that patients required 5’6 extra glucose tests to measure their glucose levels during the seven days of hypoglycemia and 24’9 percent contacted a healthcare professional as a result of the event.Among all these patients in insulin treatment, 25 percent reduced the dose of insulin after hypoglycemia.
The maintenance of adequate glycemic control levels has long -term advantages for people with diabetes in the reduction of associated complications.The symptoms of a hypoglycemic event often include palpitations, tremors, hunger, sweating, difficulty concentrating or confusion.People with diabetes in insulin treatment may experience one to three events of these characteristics per month.