THE Sunshine Coast economy loses millions of dollars each year due to diabetes, a peak organisation has found.
Diabetes Queensland chief executive Michelle Trute said the release of new research from Deloitte Access Economics revealed diabetes had cost the Sunshine Coast’s economy more than $79 million annually in economic productivity alone.
“Diabetes is the most serious and expensive issue facing Queensland’s health system,” Ms Trute said, adding the $79 million was “over and above the huge costs to the health system and the individual”.
Ms Trute said the organisation’s Diabetes Action Plan was a comprehensive strategy to address the diabetes epidemic and ensure that recent gains on hospital waiting lists were not eroded by rapidly increasing diabetes-related admissions.
According to Queensland Health statistics, more than half of all people with diabetes are not receiving the education they need to keep them healthy and out of hospital, Ms Trute said.