Diabetes Prevention in San Antonio Could Save $400 Million Over Two Decades

By Wendy Rigby

Published September 8, 2017 at 10:14 AM CDT

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Complications of long-term, poorly-controlled diabetes contributes to a shorter life expectancy, especially for people in lower economic neighborhoods, according to a new case study.

Wendy Rigby

A new case study published in a national journal predicts that the implementation of a sweeping diabetes prevention program in San Antonio could save more than $400 million dollars in healthcare related costs over 20 years.

Diabetes is a huge problem in the Alamo City, impacting an estimated 14 percent of the population.

Anil Mangla, Ph.D., co-authored the new case study called "Using Systems Science to Inform Population Health Strategies in Local Health Departments: A Case Study in San Antonio, Texas."

Credit Louisa Jonas / Texas Public Radio

Anil Mangla, Ph.D.,of the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteoopathic Medicine – along with Thomas Schlenker, MD – authored the case study published in the journal Public Health Reports.

By aggressively lowering blood sugar levels, the study estimates annual cases of kidney failure, amputations, blindness, heart attacks and strokes would be reduced significantly.