November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and it’s important to remember that people’s health isn’t the only thing affected by the disease. According to nurse Lynn Fisher of Washington County Public Health, there are financial repercussions of diabetes. She says, “I think a lot of Americans don’t realize the impact of diabetes on the health care system, (and) on the economy. There is evidence that people that have diabetes may have more complications with certain diseases like influenza, and then that does lead to higher medical care costs.”

In addition to influenza, the Iowa Department of Public Health says people with diabetes are more susceptible to heart disease, stroke, and other serious diabetes-related complications. Fisher adds, there are approximately 29 million people in the country that have some form of diabetes. As taxpayers, we help fund Medicare, and treating that many people can have an adverse impact on the economy. For more information about Diabetes Awareness Month, listen to the In Touch with Southeast Iowa interview with Fisher at KCIIRadio.com.