Direct medical cost of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in Turkey

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common chronic metabolic disease with an estimated prevalence of 13.8 % in Turkey. The care and management of patients with DM and its complications consume a substantial proportion of healthcare expenditures. In this study, we aimed to analyse the direct medical cost of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in Turkey. 211 diabetes patients, 36 with type 1 diabetes and 175 with type 2 diabetes, were included in this retrospective study. Their demographic characteristics, laboratory test results, co-morbidities, length of hospital stay, and disease complications were recorded, and their invoices, received from the billing department of the institute, were analysed. The average cost of treatment of diabetes patients was calculated as 607.4 USD. No statistically significant difference was found between the cost of type 1 and type 2 diabetes (P > 0.05). The costs increased with co-morbidities and complications (P < 0.05). To reduce the cost of DM treatment, not only health professionals but also patients and their relatives must contribute toward DM management.