A new study reveals that around a third of the California’s hospital patients have diabetes. And as FM89’s Diana Aguilera reports, it’s even more of a problem in the San Joaquin Valley.
The study released today by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research found that among hospital patients in California ages 35 and older, 31 percent had diabetes. That age group makes up the majority of hospitalizations in the state.
This costly disease is even a bigger concern here in the Valley. Thirty five percent of hospital patients in both Fresno and Merced counties have the disease.
Susan Babey is a senior research scientist at the center. She says there could be several reasons for the valley’s high rates including demographics and “folks who don’t have appropriate access to care have a harder time controlling their diabetes and maybe even more likely to end up in the hospital than someone who has better access to care."
The study also highlights the impact the disease is having on health care costs. Diabetes is responsible for an extra $1.6 billion in hospital costs every year in California.
