Burden of chronic disease in Ohio

At the launch last week of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease's Ohio chapter, a new report called An Unhealthy America: The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease was distributed. This Milken Institute report offers specific data on the economic burden of chronic disease in Ohio and states that in 2003 $13.5 billion was spent in the state on the treatment of chronic diseases. There was also $43.4 billion in lost productivity in Ohio in 2003 as a result of these diseases.

According to the report, reported cases of chronic diseases in Ohio included:

• Cancer: 377,000 cases (which equals 3.4% of Ohio's non-institutionalized population)
• Diabetes: 595,000 cases (5.3% of Ohio's n.i. population)
• Heart Disease: 875,000 cases (7.9% of Ohio's n.i. population)
• Hypertension: 1,549,000 cases (13.9% of Ohio's n.i. population)
• Stroke: 113,000 cases (1.0% of Ohio's n.i. population)
• Mental Disorders: 1,432,000 cases (12.9% of Ohio's n.i. population)
• Pulmonary Conditions: 1,835,000 cases (16.5% of Ohio's n.i. population)

It should be noted that the above numbers are based on patient self-reported data from the 2003 MEPS. The numbers do not include untreated and undiagnosed cases.