HealthMine Diabetes Report: Those Afflicted Struggle to Manage Disease, Despite Decline in New Cases Reported by the CDC

DALLAS, Dec. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite a reported decline in the growth of new diabetes cases by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those afflicted still struggle to manage the disease, according to a new survey by HealthMine of 509 people diagnosed with diabetes and pre-diabetes. The results are now available in the HealthMine Diabetes Report: The State and Impact of Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes. Data and analysis in this report may be useful to executives and benefits leaders in better engaging individuals with chronic disease in their population in order to improve their lives and lower their healthcare costs.

Diabetes is one of the deadliest and costliest chronic conditions Americans face, yet one out of four people with the disease don't know they have it (CDC). HealthMine's survey shows that those who are diagnosed face significant health risks, complications, and challenges in managing their disease. These struggles have a direct impact on their overall health, productivity and healthcare costs. Here are the key findings from our survey:

Top Findings

Health Risks: Many people with diabetes/pre-diabetes had—and continue to have—key risk factors; 59% are not in a healthy weight range and 30% are smokers

Pre-diabetes: 30% of those diagnosed with pre-diabetes are not aware that their condition is reversible; 58% of these individuals have not taken any action toward minimizing their risk for Type 2 diabetes

Disease Management: 73% report difficulty coping with their illness and 66% feel their diabetes is not completely under control

Health Complications: 67% have had health complications. 72% have at least one other chronic condition. One out of five also struggles with chronic pain, cardiovascular disease or mental illness

Impact on Healthcare Costs: 39% have had to go to the Emergency Room or to Urgent Care within the past year because of their chronic condition. 48% report they have lost work time in the past year and 52% say that their condition has lowered their productivity while at work

Mobile Health: While 74% are using mobile applications daily, a much smaller number—45%—are using mobile applications to track their diabetes/pre-diabetes

Wellness Programs: 37% are enrolled in a sponsored wellness program, and 91% of wellness plan members who have access to disease management and/or medication adherence programs do participate in them

Mimi Guarneri, MD, FACC, ABIHM, said, "The majority of diabetes is totally preventable through lifestyle change. But most of those who struggle with the condition don't have the right tools." She added: "If we support people with a system that promotes health through the power of nutrition, mind-body connection and community, we can empower them to lighten the physical, emotional and financial burden of this disease."

Bryce Williams, CEO and President of HealthMine said, "Today, diabetes is in control of Americans. We need to turn that around." He continued, "Personal clinical engagement is the key to educating and motivating those who are sick to take action and take charge of their chronic disease. With better guidance from plan sponsors and real disease management, we can start to reign in the $322 billion annual bill for diabetes."

About the Survey
The HealthMine survey queried consumers with diagnosed diabetes and were fielded by Survey Sampling International (SSI) in August 2015. Data were collected via an opt-in panel. The margin of error is 4%. Survey Sampling International (SSI) has been the Worldwide Leader in Survey Sampling and Data Collection Solutions, across every mode, for 37 Years.

About HealthMine
HealthMine, a leading consumer health engagement company, has developed the wellness industry's first and only Personal Clinical Engagement technology platform. HealthMine empowers individuals to make meaning of their health information by automatically collecting clinical data, identifying risk for chronic disease, and setting health goals. Making it easy for consumers to manage their own health, HealthMine provides a personalized health portal available on any device, and delivers tailored recommendations, resources and incentives.  HealthMine has more than one million users, and has saved employers and payers more than $100 million in healthcare costs. The company, founded in 2008, is based in Dallas, Texas with offices in San Francisco, New York and Minneapolis.

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SOURCE HealthMine