Patients with type 2 diabetes are significantly more likely to face serious financial hardship than their non-diabetic peers, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. The research, conducted by Ohio State University, linked electronic health records with credit reports and wage data for over 166,000 patients and found that individuals with diabetes fared worse across all seven financial metrics studied.
- 64.5% of patients with diabetes had at least one adverse financial outcome, compared to 49.9% of non-diabetic patients.
- 59.7% had below-prime credit scores.
- Over 36% had medical debt in collections; a similar percentage had non-medical debt in collections.
- The average credit score for diabetes patients was 619, compared to 664 for others.
Why it matters: The findings offer hard evidence linking chronic disease to increased financial instability. As healthcare costs rise and more patients struggle to follow through with treatment plans due to affordability, providers face a growing challenge in recovering outstanding balances.
Between the lines: Researchers didn’t investigate the cause of the financial gap, but they point to the nature of diabetes, which is a chronic condition requiring ongoing care, costly medications, and supplies, as a likely factor. The disease can also limit employment opportunities, creating a ripple effect on income and credit health.
“Every financial outcome you could look at, diabetes patients fared worse,” said Dr. Cäzilia Loibl, co-author and chair of consumer sciences at Ohio State.
Disparities run deep: The study also uncovered significant disparities within the diabetic population itself. Black and Hispanic patients, women, Medicaid enrollees, and those without income were more likely to experience financial hardship.
- Black patients with diabetes had an 87.3% adjusted probability of having at least one adverse financial event, compared with 60% for White patients.
- Those with private insurance saw the largest gap in outcomes between diabetic and non-diabetic patients.
