MONDAY, Nov. 25, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- The U.S. federal government has joined with private business to launch a new Web site to address diabetes-related workplace issues.
The diabetes-at-work site offers a resource kit that can be used by employees, managers, occupational health providers and benefits and human resources managers to learn about the latest trends in diabetes management and work site wellness strategies. The site also incorporates other interactive tools to help with on-the-job diabetes management.
Key features of the site's resource kit include a worksheet that enables companies to assess their need for workplace diabetes education and management as well as a guide on how to choose a company health care plan that covers diabetes care needs.
The kit also has more than 30 lesson plans and fact sheets to help promote employee diabetes education and management.
About 17 million Americans have diabetes and the numbers are increasing. Workers with diabetes miss, on average, about 8.3 days of work per year. That adds up to about 14 million disability days a year, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People without diabetes miss, on average, about 1.7 days of work a year.
Diabetes costs the United States $44 billion a year in direct medical costs and $54 billion a year in disability, work losses, and premature death.
More Information
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