Eakinomics: And
Now For Something Really Depressing
Pandemic and recession got you down? A bit hot about the West Coast
burning up? Can’t shake the gloom of tropical depressions, tropical
storms, and hurricanes in the Gulf? Exhausted from being on the lookout
for locusts and frogs? Relax. 2020’s horror show will pass in the end,
and AAF’s Tara O'Neill Hayes and Serena Gillian have helpfully highlighted a health and
economic crisis that is even worse and shows no sign of abating:
America’s chronic disease crisis.
First, a definition: “A disease is considered chronic when it persists
for at least a year and requires ongoing medical attention or limits
daily activities.” Second, some brief documentation of the prevalence of
chronic disease: “Approximately 45 percent of the U.S. population, 133
million Americans, suffer from at least one chronic disease. Almost
30 million Americans are living with five or more chronic diseases. The
risk and prevalence of chronic disease grows as individuals age.
Approximately 27 percent of children in the United States suffer from a
chronic condition, while about 6 percent of children have more than one
chronic condition. In contrast, around 60 percent of adults suffer from
at least one chronic condition, while 42 percent suffer from multiple
conditions. Among those 60 or older, at least 80 percent have one
chronic illness and 50 percent have two.” As the authors point out, the
prevalence has been rising over time and appears likely to continue. They
also document the fact that there is considerable difference across
states and counties in the incidence of chronic disease.
Not surprisingly, treating chronic diseases is expensive. Hayes and
Gillian document the direct costs due to chronic diseases – the dollars
needed for prescriptions, procedures, and other health care products and
services. The authors find that direct health care costs for a patient
with chronic disease average $6,032. This is about five times greater
than those without a chronic disease, largely due to more
frequent and longer hospitalizations, more frequent emergency
room visits, and greater prescription drug use.
But the real kicker is that “including indirect costs associated with
lost economic productivity, the total cost of chronic disease in the
United States reaches $3.7 trillion each year, approximately 19.6 percent
of the country’s gross domestic product.”
I can’t pretend that “Chronic Disease in the United States: A
Worsening Health and Economic Crisis” is the most uplifting
read I’ve had recently. But it is a compelling reminder of one of the
greatest threats to the health and well-being of America’s families.
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