Type 2 diabetes and health care costs in Latin America: exploring the need for greater preventive medicine

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in medicine, health systems in Latin America are not coping with the challenges of chronic diseases. Incidence of disease and the economic burdens as a consequence have both increased in recent years. We have chosen Type 2 diabetes as an example to highlight the challenges posed by chronic diseases, in terms of the epidemiological transition and the economic burden of the demand for services to treat such problems. DISCUSSION: Current health systems are not prepared to respond in a comprehensive manner to all phases of the natural history of the disease. There are new models of universal coverage, but resources and models of care are focused on programs aimed at healing/rehabilitation, and very sparsely at detection/prevention. SUMMARY: In this scenario, chronic problems have alarmingly increased direct costs (medical care) and indirect costs (temporary disability, permanent disability and premature mortality). If more resources are not assigned to preventive medicine, these trends, in addition to not meeting the needs of the population, will financially collapse health systems and the patients’ pockets. This Opinion piece outlines some possible changes that can be implemented to better prepare the health services in Latin American countries.