1994 Reports

The Cost Of Diabetes

Kahn, Matthew E.

Diabetics must choose how much effort to devote to health care. Technological innovation and product differentiation have lowered the price of diabetic compliance. It is now easier to frequently test blood and to adjust insulin levels. The quality of sugar free food substitutes have greatly improved. New diabetic cohorts should be healthier than previous cohorts. This paper uses the 1976 and 1989 cross sections of the National Health Interview Surveys to study output indicators, such as income and labor force participation, and input indicators, such as diet and weight, of diabetics and non diabetics to evaluate this "convergence" hypothesis.